The Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA) supported by the Community Social responsibility (CSR) of Dharampal Satypal Limited conducted training programs under the ‘Livelihood Enhancement through Trees for Wealth Movement’ for farmers in Porba, Enhulumi and Thetsumi Village of the Phek District.
tEA informed that under the Trees for Wealth initiative, it is planting over 50,000 tamarillo trees in Phek and Kohima districts of Nagaland covering 500 farmers. The initiative, which spans two years, has a huge potential to increase the income of farmers as tEA offers buy back of the fruits that will be produced from the project through its various linkages, it added.
Cukhoyi Chiero, Zonal head, tEA, Phek Zone updated the farmers about the project, and its objectives. He further encouraged the farmers to diligently take up the plantation of the tamarillo tree for its numerous potentials. He shared that the organization will ensure that the farmers are supported in whatever way possible, enabling them to increase their incomes.
Chiero also highlighted that besides the free distribution of the saplings, tEA will also be engaging them in intercropping activities through the introduction of various cash crops as they wait for the trees to mature.
Training the farmer on the best practices of nurturing tamarillo saplings and trees, Arishinaro Longkumer, M. tech Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, Professional Associate, tEA, highlighted some of the tips for cultivating tamarillo trees, cures for some disease and pest control, and basic soil and water conservation techniques in hilly terrain. She shared some of the latest technical inputs in this field and encouraged the farmers to seek new findings whenever possible.
The Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA) training for farmers in Phek district
The other participants for the training programs also included, Lhishezu-u T. Lohe, Community Mobilizer, Tshezokhro Doulo, Field Executive, Liekhro Venuh – Deacon of the Thetsumi Baptist Church and Razouveyi Dzudo, former Head Deacon, Porba Baptist Church.
The Trees for Wealth (TfW) movement is a flagship program of The Entrepreneurs Associates which addresses both climate and livelihoods through plantation of fruit trees. tEA informed that to date, it has planted over 6.5 lakh fruit trees across Nagaland and Manipur.
tEA mentioned that the unique achievement of the Trees for Wealth movement has been the successful launching of ‘micro-nurseries’ engaging farmers, women street vendors, petty traders etc who are linked to the TfW movement. It informed that since the launch of the program in 2019, the Trees for Wealth movement has been buying fruit tree saplings from these micro-nurseries instead of commercial ones to increase incomes for marginalized individuals. Even as the plantation of the fruit trees continues, tEA is supporting more individuals to take up micro-nurseries as it aspires to plant 1 billion fruit trees by 2050 under the trees for Wealth movement.
tEA hopes that the fruit tree revolution in the North East Region will lead to the creation of wealth and opportunities for the local communities as land is inherently owned by most tribals as part of the social setting, and can be leveraged to create income and a better environment.
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