Dimapur (EMN):
Expounding that the end of education is not to seek government job, Secretary of Land Resources Development, Y Kikheto Sema has urged the students to engage in self employment and pass on the experience and knowledge to others.
Kikheto said this to students from Mewar University, Rajasthan, comprising mostly from Eastern Nagaland who were on a three-month field visit to the coffee farms. Kikheto met the students during his visit to coffee farms at Litami New and Old and Phushumi villages under VK area of Zunheboto district on October 26.
“With less other means of sustainable economy in Nagaland, which is basically agro and allied, he urged the agriculture students to go back to the villages and teach the farmers about the farming techniques.
Kikheto along with officials from the Land Resources Department (LRD) made the visit to get first hand information about the progress of coffee cultivation since the department has been made as nodal department for coffee plantation.
During the interaction, farmers revealed that the yielding was lesser compared to earlier years to which the officers explained that it was due to global climate change and the problem of root rotting fungal infections and Stemborer pest infestations. In this regard, the department assured to give some tips to handle the diseases.
Kikheto informed the farmers that an MoU has been signed with a South African firm, wherein the latter has assured to buy the products on the spot at the same rate of New York and London Stock Exchange.
He encouraged the farmers to do multi-cropping along with coffee which could sustain the farmers to a huge extent. Some of the multi-cropping, according to him, included black pepper, betel nut, local chicken rearing and honey bee.
During the course of the interaction, the Secretary informed that the Coffee Board of India (CBI) has agreed to provide assistance to the coffee farmers for the initial two years for maintenance. While stating that the maintenance fund might not be sufficient in the management of the farm, he encouraged the farmers to take full advantage of the CBI assistance.
The secretary informed that the department had requested fund from the State government to assist the farmers who will directly get the benefits in their account. Besides, he stated that the department would distribute coffee saplings free of cost as well as nursery maintenance cost.
LRD Director, Hoto Yeptho, said the department would thoroughly study the diseases affecting coffee and accordingly advise the farmers. “Any problem can be tackled with research and experience. So do not worry about it,” he said.
Other officers including joint director, deputy director, DPOs of Kohima and Zunheboto were part of the LRD team visiting the coffee farms.
source: http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com / Eastern Mirror / Home> News> Nagaland / by EMN / October 28th, 2017
