Happy tears: Women farmers reap onion harvest

DIMAPUR — In the quiet village of New Socünoma near Dimapur, three women —Amenla, Peviseno Seyie, and Kenguni-ü — have become living examples of how determination, innovation, and guidance can transform lives and livelihoods.

With the support and training provided by the NEH Component of Onion & Garlic, SAS, Medziphema under the initiative of project in-charge and scientist Dr. Moakala Changkiri, School of Agricultural Sciences, Medziphema, Nagaland University, sponsored by ICAR–DOGR, Pune, these women have embraced onion and garlic cultivation as a source of income, empowerment, and community growth.

According to an update, the project was initiated by Dr. Aastik Jha, Associate Professor at ANDUAT, UP, and Dr. Moakala Changkiri during the year 2021.

The project aimed to promote self-sustenance and livelihood improvement among farmers of Nagaland. As part of this mission, farmers were provided with high-quality onion and garlic seeds from ICAR–DOGR, along with crucial farming inputs such as agro-shade nets, combo sprayers, water pumps, organic inputs, agri tools, watering cans, and even a power tiller to support effective cultivation.

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Amenla, an educated Ao woman and the leader of a farmers’ group, chose agriculture as her calling. Through the initiative of NEH Component, she began onion and garlic farming on her in-laws’ land and has now expanded her cultivation to around 4 bighas, jointly managing a farm in Molvom with a friend.

Her dedication and the technical guidance she received helped her earn nearly INR 1.5 lakh annually from rabi onion and garlic. Her success has inspired several others in the village to start kitchen gardens and adopt improved farming practices, the update stated.

Peviseno Seyie, the leader of the second group, was once solely dependent on paddy cultivation. With limited formal education and no prior exposure to onion farming, she courageously took up the challenge after receiving training and inputs through the NEH initiative.

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“Today, she cultivates onions on 1.5–2 bighas of land, earning up to INR 1 lakh annually, and continues to inspire her peers with her perseverance and optimism,” it stated.

Likewise, Kenguni-ü, another determined farmer of New Socünoma, transitioned from traditional paddy to onion farming. Through the same support, she converted a portion of her farmland for onion cultivation and now successfully grows onions on 1.5–2 bighas of land, earning around INR 1 lakh annually — a remarkable transformation from hardship to self-reliance.

“The journey of these three women reflects the growing spirit of rural entrepreneurship among Naga women. With knowledge, training, and determination, they have not only secured better incomes for their families but have also lit the path for others to follow.

“Their story is a testament to how science, when blended with sincerity and hard work, can truly sow the seeds of change,” the update stated.