Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) conducted field demonstration cum mobilisation of farmers in different blocks in Kohima and Tseminyu districts from 28 October 2022 to 3 November 2022.
ATMA is a society of key stakeholders involved in agricultural activities for sustainable agricultural development in the districts. It is a focal point for integrating Research and Extension activities and decentralising day to day management of the district level. As a society, it would be able to receive and expend project funds, entering into contracts and agreements and maintaining revolving accounts that can be used to collect fees and thereby recovering operating cost.
ATMA Botsa Block:
A two-day field demonstration cum mobilization of farmers was conducted at Tsiemekhu Basa and Teichüma villages on the 28th and 31st October 2022.
Two farmer’s groups were mobilized where field demonstrations on the package of practices of winter crops were conducted. With the active participation of the farmers, nursery beds for cabbage, broccoli, pakchoi, onion, and cauliflower were set up with technical specifications.
Farmers were also appraised on the importance of raising nursery beds with proper maintenance, time for transplanting, the importance of irrigation, land preparation before transplanting, and crop spacing. The mobilized farmer’s groups were distributed with seeds of cabbage, broccoli, onion, pea, turnip, knol khol, cauliflower, and mustard.
Sechü-Zubza Block:
Three demonstration programmes were held at Thekrejuma village on 31st October and 2nd November where Kajini Isabella Zinyü, Block Technology Manager (BTM) mobilized two groups in the interest of a food security group and a self-help group consisting of ten members each.
Keviravono Visa, Assistant Technology Manager (ATM) spoke on the topic “Nursery raising of cole crops”. Talking about the importance of nursery management and its advantages, she said that raised nursery beds provide favorable growth conditions and make crops less susceptible to weeds, pests, and pathogenic infections. Visa added that raised beds are also economically profitable as vegetable seeds are very expensive, particularly hybrids.
Thejavizonuo, ATM spoke on the topic “Package of practice for root crops”, where she stressed on the importance of spacing, intercultural operations, and health benefits. Ketsivino Nakhro, ATM spoke on the topic “Line sowing of peas”. She apprised the farmers of the cultivation practices of peas and their management practices. Hands-on demonstrations on all three topics were carried out and seeds were distributed.
Chunlikha block:
At Kandinu and Gukhanyu villages, the programme was held on 29th and 31st October. Kebegi Kent (ATM), Sinlo Kent (ATM), and Chenobu Seb (ATM) demonstrated and shared on cultivation practices for winter vegetables and cultivation practices for field peas. Winter vegetable seeds were distributed to the farmers who participated in both villages.
Two groups of women farmers under the nomenclature Ketiju FSG and Shyekerhun Logwa FSG were mobilized by Khatemenla (BTM).
Tseminyu block:
ATMA mobilized a farmers group called ‘Gwani’ at Rengmapani village, consisting of 12 women members, for its demonstration cum mobilisation of farmers programme held on 31st October.
Dr. Vibeilie Joseph Keretsu, BTM briefed the group on the concept of group forming, bank account and maintenance of the activities record for future reference as verification purposes.
Demonstration on the topic of Package of Practices for coriander and for Broccoli were presented by Sutsunginla Pongen, ATM and Rokokhoto Natso, ATM. Proper land preparation, spacing, irrigation, weeding, etc were highlighted to the farmers.
Jakhama Block:
Demonstrations on nursery bed preparation for Cole crops and line sowing for field peas, French beans, and radish were conducted at Kezoma and Jakhama villages on 28th October and 2nd November 2022. Hands-on demonstrations for seedbed preparation, line sowing with proper spacing, mulching, and its importance, and irrigation were taught to the farmers.
The farmers were appraised on the importance of timely intervention, weeding, and timely transplantation of nurseries to main fields. The importance of intercropping with legumes for soil health was also highlighted.
Mobilization of farmer’s groups was also conducted in both villages. The proposed women groups, ‘Kelosi’ and ‘Azo’, comprised of 14 members with common interests where their main commodity is Potato, Leek/scallion, ginger cultivation, and also on other vegetable crops of commercial value.
During the programme, the importance of working together, teamwork building, the importance of record keeping, photographs of activities undertaken, revolving funds, and account maintenance were shared with the group. The newly formed groups were given some Crop seeds, field peas, and onion seeds.
The resource persons were Vimenuo Mere (BTM), Vitsonuo Solo (ATM), Ketholezo Kipu (ATM), and Neitouzo Belho (ATM).
Chiephobozou Block:
ATMA conducted a demonstration on cultivation practices of winter crops from 28th to 29th October 2022 at Ziezou and Zhadima villages respectively. A hands-on demonstration on raised nursery bed preparation was conducted and the importance of site selection, land preparation, spacing, management, and advantages of a nursery bed were discussed.
The farmers were also informed about transplanting time, integrated pest management for winter crops, methods of selecting a good variety of disease-free seeds, soil solarization, weed control, and the importance of growing trap crops.
Two groups of women farmers were mobilized at the programme and winter seeds were distributed to the participants after a brief interaction.
The resource persons were Benjile Semy (ATM), Theruovinuo Metha (ATM), Dziesevotuo John Belho (ATM), and Atuno Zinyu (BTM).
Kohima Block:
At Kohima, the two-day demonstration cum mobilization of farmers’ groups were conducted at Perizie (L. Khel) and at Ziechazou (P. Khel) on 2nd and 3rd November respectively.
Mayangthemba Longkumer (ATM) shared about the improved scientific methods such as proper spacing, advantages of proper tilling operations, methods of seed treatment, etc. to the farmers. Whereas Mezhuzovi Belho (ATM) demonstrated the importance and advantages of a raised seed bed in nursery preparation for vegetable seedlings.
Farmers were appraised on the importance of the scientific method for nursery bed preparation. The training was complemented by practical demonstration, whereby important parameters like proper time of sowing, identifying plant diseases’ symptoms, harvesting at the correct time, etc were discussed in detail by the resource persons. An impromptu farmer and ATMA personnel interaction was held to assess the needs of the farmers for future programmes.
Thejavinuo Mepfuo (ATM) highlighted the topic “Mobilization of farmers” where the farmers were appraised and made aware of the importance of mobilization. The programme was attended by the women farmers group.
