Forest guard trainees undertake exposure trip to KVK Dimapur

DIMAPUR — A total of 32 forest guard trainees from the State Environment and Forestry Training Institute (SEFTI), Dimapur, undertook an exposure trip to Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Dimapur, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre, and the National Research Centre on Mithun (NRCM), Medziphema, on July 11.

The primary objective of the visit was to get hands-on learning experiences in sustainable agricultural practices including vermicomposting, integrated farming systems (IFS), organic farming, animal husbandry and fruit and vegetable processing.

An update from KVK Dimapur stated that the programme began with a welcome address delivered by Dr. Phool Kumari, senior scientist and head of KVK Dimapur.

She provided an overview of the various extension and outreach initiatives undertaken by the KVK and highlighted the importance of such exposure visits in strengthening practical knowledge and field-level implementation skills.

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Dr. Rajesh Kumar, director of safety, emphasised the significance of promoting sustainable, eco-friendly technologies that benefit both agriculture and forestry sectors, while Dr. Aabon Yanthan, scientist (fruit science), took a session on fruit crop processing and also gave insights into value addition techniques and post-harvest management.

Jyotish Barman, scientist (fishery), presented various integrated farming system models with a special emphasis on fish pond management.

The session was followed by a field visit to the demonstration farms at the ICAR Nagaland Centre, where Dr. Ebibeni Ngullie, SMS (animal science), provided an overview of animal husbandry practices including poultry, rabbitry, piggery and dairy farming, highlighting their role in ensuring sustainable rural livelihoods.

It stated that Dr. Akshay Ujjwal, SMS (agronomy), conducted a session on vermicomposting and organic farming, focusing on the environmental and agronomic benefits of organic inputs.

A hands-on demonstration session was led by Imliakum Pongen, farm manager, where the trainees learned the step-by-step preparation of vermicompost by using locally available resources. As a step towards encouraging ground-level adoption, KVK Dimapur also handed over a vermi pit to SEFTI during the visit.

The group also visited the KVK farm to observe live demonstrations of best agricultural practices and the National Research Centre on Mithun (NRCM), Medziphema, where they were introduced to the scientific management and conservation strategies related to Mithun.

Report further stated that the initiative served as a valuable platform to foster cross-sectoral learning and collaboration, ultimately promoting integrated and sustainable approaches to rural development in Nagaland.