Hungphung: Input distribution cum workshop was conducted by College of Agriculture, Tripura in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ukhrul at KVK Hall, Hungpung on Monday under the programme ‘Promotional activities on vegetables for North Eastern Hill (NEH) Region’, to encourage the farmers to boost the economy of the region. It is a project sponsored by the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The programme started with the introduction and welcoming of the guests by Mrs Yirmeila Sareo, SMS (Agronomy) of KVK, Ukhrul. The function was attended by Shri. Ramyophang Duidang, DIG, CRPF as the Chief Guest and Dr Thingreingam Irenaeus K.S., Asst. Professor (Horticulture) and Dr Budhachandra Thangjam, Asst. Professor (Entomology) from College of Agriculture, Tripura.
Dr Thingreingam Irenaeus, also the Co-Principal Investigator of the project, while highlighting the participants about the programme and activities under the project, thanked the IIVR, Varanasi and College of Agriculture, Tripura. He stressed the need to change the mindset of our society that farming is for the poor. Instead, “We are blessed with abundant high-value horticultural crop resources and these constitute our wealth while there is also a scope for boosting our economy through tourism industry”, he said. He encouraged the growers saying that our region being organic by default may take the advantage to fully make it organic and also has a scope for exporting various fresh and processed horticultural produces through the Northeastern states in future, being the gateway to South East Asia through its long international borders while India’s international boundary in other states is with unfriendly neighbours.
R Duidang, DIG, CRPF who himself practices integrated farming system approaches in crop production, in his speech lauded the initiatives of the College of Agriculture, Tripura for organizing such a programme for the people of Ukhrul and appealed to the beneficiaries of the programme to seriously explore the avenues in the horticulture industry. He later handed over different seeds of improved vegetable varieties developed by ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi to the beneficiaries who participated in the programme.
Altogether 25 progressive farmers from Langdang, Lamlang, Sihai, Seikhor, Hungpung, Ukhrul and Sinakeithei villages participated and benefited from the programme. A kitchen garden kit consisting of ten (10) different crops viz., palak, radish, tomato, bottle gourd, chilli, okra, cowpea, pumpkin, sponge gourd and Indian bean for year-round production was distributed to the participants. Besides the garden kit, seeds of onion, lettuce, cabbage and improved varieties of other crops developed by IIVR, Varanasi like garden pea, brinjal, zucchini etc. were distributed to the farmers. Yellow sticky cards for trapping insects were also distributed during the programme.
In the technical session, Dr Thingreingam delivered on ‘Improved nursery management practices’ and ‘Role of minerals in crop production and importance of organic nutrition’ considering the context of Ukhrul, while Dr Budhachandra discussed ‘Insect pest management through yellow sticky traps and pheromone traps. They also addressed the queries of the beneficiaries along with Mrs Yirmeila during the interactive session.
In their feedback, the farmers requested assistance in the form of garden tools & implements and protected nursery structures, the areas being prone to frost during winter and heavy rains during monsoon.