A consultative meeting followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was held at the DC Conference Hall, Wokha, between the District Administration, Wokha, Government of Nagaland, and the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), Shillong on February 20 at the DC conference hall Wokha.
Deputy Commissioner of Wokha, Vineet Kumar, delivered the welcome address, while Director General of NECTAR, Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma, highlighted the importance of technological interventions and collaborative initiatives for district development.
The MoU aims to strengthen cooperation in key developmental sectors, particularly agriculture and allied activities. As part of the programme, a virtual inauguration of a Community Managed Seed System (CMSS) seed bank at Baghty village was carried out. The seed bank, established and managed by the farming community, will provide locally adapted seeds and support small and marginal farmers while promoting climate-resilient landraces and indigenous practices.
PGS 1 Scope certificates were also distributed to master trainers in Wokha under the PM-DevINE project.
In his address, the DC stated that with nearly 90 percent of the district’s population dependent on agriculture and no major industries, technological intervention in farming and agro-based sectors is crucial for economic growth. He informed that the district has signed MoUs with institutions such as CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development and ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana to strengthen support for farmers. He also highlighted the district’s first Banana Festival as a step towards value addition and innovation.
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Dr Sarma informed that around 2,000 farmers from Nagaland are connected under NECTAR’s scientific organic farming initiative. He also spoke on the banana pseudo-stem value addition project, under which a Common Facility Centre (CFC) worth ₹5.3 crore is being set up in Merapani to generate employment and convert banana waste into value-added products.
Encouraging farmers and entrepreneurs, including local enterprises such as Yuthi Delight, Dr. Sarma assured technical support and urged stakeholders to submit proposals for assistance.
The meeting concluded with deliberations on future collaboration between NECTAR and the district administration for the overall development of Wokha. The programme was attended by district officials, departmental heads, farmers and entrepreneurs.
