The AICRP on Vegetable Crops (AICRP-VC), School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus, organised a training programme on “Advanced Cultivation of Cool Season Vegetable Crops” under the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) at Tokugha Village, Kuhuboto Block, Niuland on September 29.
The programme commenced with an invocation by Mlato Swu, ATM, Kuhuboto Block, Niuland, followed by the welcome address delivered by Dr Ashwini Ananda, Scientist, AICRP on Vegetable Crops, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus.
During the first technical session, Dr Ashwini Ananda delivered a lecture and conducted a hands-on demonstration on advanced cultivation practices of cool-season vegetable crops. The session focused on improved production practices and their practical application for enhancing vegetable productivity.
Apart from the technical training, Dr Ananda stressed the need to promote commercial vegetable cultivation in Nagaland. He highlighted that the State has considerable potential to increase local vegetable production and encouraged farmers to take up vegetable cultivation on a commercial scale. He emphasised the importance of working towards meeting Nagaland’s vegetable demand through production within the State itself, thereby reducing dependence on vegetable supplies from neighbouring states.
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He also encouraged farmers to view vegetable cultivation not merely as a source of household nutrition but as a viable income-generating enterprise.
In the second technical session, Dr Merensangla Longkumar, Assistant Professor, Department of RDP, School of Social Sciences, Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus, spoke on women’s empowerment and household nutrition through vegetable cultivation. She emphasised the important role of women in vegetable production and household food and nutritional security and encouraged their greater participation in income-generating agricultural activities.
She also stressed the conservation and continued cultivation of traditional and locally adapted vegetable seeds, highlighting that these seeds represent an ancestral asset and valuable agricultural heritage that should be conserved and passed on to future generations.
The programme also included farmers’ feedback and interaction, providing participants an opportunity to discuss their field-level challenges and exchange experiences with the resource persons. This was followed by the distribution of agricultural inputs to the participating farmers.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Akavi Holo, BTM, Kuhuboto Block, Niuland, followed by photography and lunch.
