A one-day training on Pre-Post harvest Coffee Harvesting organized by Organic Coffee Luyimer, Mongsenyimti in collaboration with Coffee Board of India was held at Coffee Farm, Mongsenyimti village, Mokokchung on October 13.
The training was hosted by I Meyionen Jamir, Chief Information Commissioner and was also attended by Advisor Water Resources, Tongpang Ozukum and officials from Coffee Board of India, Department of Land Resources Mokokchung and coffee farmers from Mongsenyimti village.
Jayanta Ghosh, Deputy Director (Extension) at the Coffee Board of India, emphasized the significance of proper coffee processing techniques and technology for Nagaland’s coffee to thrive in the international market. He acknowledged the quality of Nagaland coffee but highlighted the need for knowledge and technology.
Ghosh addressed the issue of unsuccessful coffee farming in Nagaland, attributing it to the absence of market linkage. He assured farmers that marketing channels and value addition opportunities are now more accessible in Nagaland.
One of the major challenges in Nagaland and other Northeastern states is the necessity of shade or canopy to protect coffee plants from white stem borer infestation. Ghosh stressed that “Without shade, there is no coffee.”
Furthermore, Ghosh provided practical demonstrations and technical insights at every stage of coffee cultivation. He also discussed soil rejuvenation and the selection of coffee species suitable for the region.
In addition, he highlighted the various subsidy components offered by the Coffee Board of India to support coffee farmers.
Chief Information Commissioner I Meyionen Jamir expressed gratitude for the eye-opening experience provided by the training session. He emphasized that farmers had taken up coffee farming due to the department’s encouragement as an alternative to jhum cultivation.
Jamir highlighted the importance of the training, stating that it revealed the technical aspects of developing coffee farms at various stages. He encouraged ordinary people to consider coffee farming as a viable venture.
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Reflecting on past failures in coffee farming attributed to the lack of market linkages, Jamir expressed optimism that a focus on coffee quality would reduce marketing challenges.
Advisor Tongpang Ozukum also reminisced about a significant coffee plantation initiative in Mokokchung from the past which unfortunately, ended in failure. He attributed this failure to a lack of guidance for the farmers beyond just planting. “They were not educated about various aspects, including climatic conditions, attitudes, shading, spacing, grafting techniques, processing, and, most importantly, connecting to the market”, stated Ozukum.
In light of this, he appealed to both the Coffee Board of India and the Department of Land Resources to play a role in guiding the farmers. He also encouraged those interested in coffee farming to take it seriously because it’s a challenging one.
