Wokha district, known as the “Land of Plenty”, is set to host its first-ever Banana Festival from October 22 to 24 this year, marking a milestone in the district’s journey to becoming Nagaland’s banana hub under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative.
The festival aims to showcase Wokha’s growing reputation as the largest banana-producing district in Nagaland and highlight the district’s Vision 2030 roadmap for banana ecosystem development.
Currently, banana is cultivated across 864 hectares, producing more than 11,500 metric tonnes annually, making it one of the most important crops for rural livelihoods in Wokha. Unlike seasonal crops, bananas are harvested year-round, providing steady income and food security to thousands of farming households.
The three-day event will feature technical sessions, exhibitions, buyer–seller meets, and live demonstrations of banana-based products. Stalls will display fresh produce, processed goods, handicrafts made from banana fibre, eco-friendly packaging, and culinary delicacies prepared from banana flowers and stems.
The district administration has partnered with ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), Tamil Nadu, under a formal Memorandum of Understanding, to introduce advanced technologies such as microbial consortia, tissue culture planting materials, fortified banana chips, banana fig, and fibre-based eco-products. Already, 14 farmers and 5 officials from the district have undergone intensive training at NRCB.
An Agri-Business Incubation Centre is also being planned at ICAR-KVK Wokha with support from NABARD, aimed at promoting value addition, entrepreneurship, and circular economy practices in banana and tapioca cultivation.
Efforts are underway to expand structured market access for Wokha bananas through agencies like APEDA, TRIFED, NERAMAC, and private buyers. Branding under the “Wokha Banana” label, complete with barcoding, packaging, and certification, is expected to position the district’s produce in premium markets. Online platforms such as Amazon Karigar, Flipkart Samarth, and ONDC will extend Wokha’s reach to national buyers.
The Banana Festival is also expected to boost farmer confidence by addressing long-standing challenges such as post-harvest losses, weak market linkages, and limited value addition. The introduction of pack houses, collection centres, ripening chambers, and processing units will strengthen the district’s banana value chain.
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Banana cultivation in Wokha is not only about fruit production but also about zero-waste utilisation. From the fruit (chips, puree, flour, beverages) to the peel (animal feed and fibre), pseudostem (handicrafts and biodegradable products), leaves (eco-plates and food wrapping), and flowers (culinary and medicinal uses), every part of the plant contributes to income generation and sustainability.
More than 6,000 individuals, including tribal farmers, self-help groups, and women entrepreneurs, are expected to directly benefit from the initiatives surrounding the Banana Festival and Vision 2030 plan.
The Vision Document 2030 for banana cultivation in Wokha lays out a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen farmer income, promote sustainable practices, improve post-harvest infrastructure, and enhance value chain linkages. It also envisions the district as a premier hub for banana-based rural development in the North-East region.
As Wokha prepares for its first Banana Festival, the district is not only celebrating its agricultural legacy but also charting a future of innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth—with banana cultivation as the catalyst.
More than a cultural celebration, the festival marks the launch of an ambitious transformation, positioning banana as the flagship product under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative and laying the foundation for Wokha to emerge as the Banana Capital of Nagaland.
The decision to declare banana and its by-products as Wokha’s official ODOP was formalised earlier this year by the District Planning and Development Board (DPDB). The move gained momentum with the unveiling of the Banana Vision Document 2025–2030 by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh. The Vision charts out a multi-sectoral plan to enhance cultivation, expand value chains, reduce post-harvest losses, and build strong national and global market linkages.
At the heart of the plan lies the creation of the ‘Wokha Banana’ brand, which will ensure that local products—from fresh fruit to chips, flour, beverages, and eco-friendly fibre crafts—reach wider markets with proper packaging, barcoding, and certification. The district administration is working with agencies such as the Department of Horticulture, ICAR-NRCB, and APEDA to secure organic certification and, in the longer term, a Geographical Indication (GI) tag to distinguish Wokha bananas for their unique quality.
The upcoming festival will not only showcase the cultural heritage of the district but also feature buyer-seller meets, exhibitions, expert interactions, and product demonstrations, creating a platform for farmers, SHGs, FPOs, and entrepreneurs. Institutions like NERAMAC, TRIFED, NABARD, and ICAR-KVK Wokha will participate, ensuring that the event becomes a launchpad for both agri-tourism and commercial linkages.
A key challenge for Wokha’s farmers has been access to credit. To address this, the Annual Credit Plan (2025–26) has been revised to prioritise banana cultivation, ensuring loans for plantations, infrastructure, and value addition. Awareness drives such as Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan and Dharti Aaba Abhiyan are being rolled out to guarantee 100 percent scheme saturation under flagship programmes like MIDH, PMFME, KCC, PMFBY, and MUDRA. With the support of digital tools like Wokha SAATHI, farmers will be able to track loans, access schemes, and resolve grievances in real time.
But the journey is not without hurdles. The district lies in a zone often affected by human-elephant conflict, as plantations overlap with elephant movement corridors. To mitigate risks, the administration is introducing intercropping with turmeric and ginger, promoting elephant-resilient agriculture, and setting up pilot demonstration plots in vulnerable villages in collaboration with the Forest Department and ICAR-KVK Wokha.
Looking beyond cultivation, the district has proposed the establishment of a Banana Incubation Centre cum Common Facility Centre at ICAR-KVK, Wokha. Backed by NABARD and other partners, the centre will serve as a hub for tissue culture, packaging, cold storage, and value addition. This infrastructure will ensure that every part of the banana—from fruit to peel, stem to fibre—is put to productive use, promoting a zero-waste circular economy.
The Vision 2030 roadmap divides implementation into three phases. The first phase, beginning this year, will focus on Wozhuro Block as a model cluster, farmer training, and the launch of the festival itself. In the second phase, the programme will expand to more blocks, with construction of the incubation centre and cold storage units. By the third phase, Wokha aims for district-wide adoption of high-yielding varieties, diversification into value-added products, and entry into national and international markets.
Officials hope and believe will that the impact will be far-reaching such as Farmer incomes expected to rise by 40–60 percent, productivity by 30–50 percent, and post-harvest losses reduced by 25–30 percent. With proper branding, organic certification, and market partnerships, Wokha Banana could soon become a recognised name not only across India but also in export destinations.
