Our Correspondent
Kohima, April 28 (EMN): Advisor for Horticulture and Border Affairs, Mhathung Yanthan on Thursday said horticulture is a profession that is capable of turning the global economy and called the officers and staff of the department to be agents that mitigate challenges.
He was addressing the inaugural programme of Horticulture Conference (department of Horticulture) at Capital Convention Centre, Kohima, organised by Nagaland Horticulture Technical Association (NaHTA) on the theme “Leveraging Smart Horticulture for Sustainable Livelihood and Self-employment in Nagaland.”
Highlighting that agriculture and horticulture departments were challenged in the wake of climate change, Yanthan mooted for the need of finding practices and strategies to adapt to the situation.
He pointed out that technology is ever evolving with farming becoming so advanced, and therefore advised them to keep pace with technology to learn and adapt to new situations.
The advisor asked the horticulturists to be farmers' friends, guide and build rapport with them, and educate the farmer with knowledge. “You cannot remote control the farmers”, he said.
Stating that the officers and staff were fortunate to be serving in the department as it touches the life of people, he added that they have a big responsibility as people's expectations were high and they should do justice to their work and profession.
Yanthan viewed that despite ease in facilities and others, ‘dedication, sincerity and hard work is lacking’ which he said asked to introspect to make the department a vibrant one.
He added that the state is not really harnessing the potential it has to produce horticultural crops.
He also stressed on the need to make market linkages and provide infrastructure for the farmers.
Further, the advisor also urged the department officials to be accountable and maintain transparency in their working, while also giving more effort as fund allocations were being underutilised.
Earlier, delivering the keynote address Anenla T Sato, Commissioner and Secretary to the government of Nagaland said the officers and staff should retrospect and affirm to take the department forward.
She stated that there were backlogs in work, adding that despite the officers having potential were not utilized. She told the officials to perform day-to-day activities in a time bound manner to avoid backlog, not hamper the farmers and strangulate the department.
The inaugural programme was led by Director of Horticulture, Dr. R Elithung Lotha.
Later in the technical session, Prof. Akali Sema, Dean of School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development (SASRD), Medziphema, Nagaland University was the theme speaker.
Amba Jamir, vice-president of Integrated Mountain Initiative, Guwahati gave a motivational talk on “Team work makes the dream work”.