IMPHAL,April 19 (EMN): Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh expressed the need to replace the conventional methods of agricultural farming by new farming techniques to enhance productivity and agricultural growth.
Deputy Chief Minister Joykumar was speaking at the Agricultural Inputs Distribution Function held at College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University (CAU) at Iroisemba in Imphal on Wednesday.
Stating that widespread Jhumming and Terrace Cultivation in most of the hill areas of Manipur for the last so many years has been a big challenge to environment and causing health hazard to human beings, he said, therefore, it is time to replace such conventional methods of farming by new methods.
He added approach and efforts should also be changed in the state especially in the hilly areas to introduce alternative farming methods so that productivity can be increased and environment can also be conserved as well.
Lauding the CAU’s effort to introduce alternative farming under Tribal Sub Plan-Project to five States of North East, Deputy CM appealed the varsity authority to cover larger areas, both in hill and valley and to increase coverage of Double Cropping and Cash Crop Cultivation. He further said, CAU can play a big role in the area and concerned departments will also follow the steps.
Highlighting the University’s initiative to introduce alternative farming in the North
East, Vice Chancellor, and Dr M Premjit Singh said, the Project has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Agriculture on an experimental basis. He said it covers 15 CD Blocks in five North Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
Among the blocks, six blocks of Manipur - Churachandpur, Chandel , Machi, Phungyar, Saikul and Kangpokpi in four districts have been covered. If the people co-operate with the initiative, the project can be sustained for long, thereby enhancing productivity and means of livelihood, he added.
Later, Deputy CM distributed saplings of various fruits including lemon, orange and grapes to the beneficiaries of hill districts. The project entitled “Enhancing Socio-Economic Status and Livelihood Security of Tribal Farmers of NEH States through
Agricultural Interventions’’ has also a component of animal husbandry.
Director of Research, CAU, Imphal Dr CA Srinivasamurthy and Dr JM Laishram,
Dean, College of Agriculture, CAU was also present at the function.
