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Participants of the farmers training “Nursery Management and Production Technology of Kharif Onion” at New Socünoma village.[/caption]
Dimapur, Aug. 8 (EMN): The Department of Horticulture, SASRD NU, Medziphema, under a programme sanctioned by ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research, Rajgurunagar (Maharashtra), is assisting the local farmers in growing onion with the objective of meeting the farmers’ requirement and also to encourage other farmers to take up onion cultivation for the uplift of their livelihood.
A press release received here on Aug. 8, while informing about the programme, stated a farmers training on “Nursery Management and Production Technology of
Kharif Onion” was conducted at New Socünoma village under TSP-Onion by AICRP (VC) Department of Horticulture, SASRD, NU, Medziphema towards the promotion of this programme.
The programme is aimed to popularise onion cultivation among tribal farmers in Nagaland and is being conducted under the supervision of Prof. Akali Sema, Department of Horticulture, SASRD, NU, as the Principle investigator.
In this connection, the release stated that various villages were surveyed and monitored under Dimapur district which has potential for kharif onion cultivation after which interested farmers were selected from different villages as beneficiaries viz. Hekheshe, Zhuikhu, Socünoma, Khehokhu, Niuland and Medziphema, and 10 demonstration units were initiated, i.e. 3 from Socünoma, 2 from Hekheshe, 1 from Zhuikhu, 1 from Khehokhu, 2 from Niuland and 1 from Medziphema as a start off of the mandate of the programme.
The selected farmers from the different villages are being assisted in growing onion, which will not only meet their requirement but encourage the fellow farmers to take up onion cultivation and further uplift their livelihood.
Giving a brief highlight of the training programme, the release stated that Dr. Waluniba, Scientist, AICRP (VC) & Co-Principle investigator chaired the programme, while a brief remark was given by the village council secretary, New Socünoma on behalf of the village and the participants. The resource person for the training was
Dr. Azeze Seyie, Scientist, ICAR-NEH Jarnapani, who emphasised mainly on how to cultivate onion organically starting from nursery till harvest; how to store and how to market the product. She also highlighted on pest and diseases, its management.
In this regard, she encouraged the farmers to use locally available materials as it is cheap and easily accessible. The programme ended with input distribution to the farmers.
The training was attended by farmer participants from Hekheshe, Zhuikhu, Socünoma and Khehokhu. The villagers expressed their heartfelt gratitude to AICRP-VC, Dept. of Horticulture, SASRD: NU for selecting their villages and encouraging them by organizing such a program to benefit the farmers. The programme was coordinated by Dr. Moakala Changkiri, Dr. Aastik Jha, Dr. Waluniba and Yongkongtula
Vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Moakala Changkiri, Scientist, AICRP (VC) and Co-Principle investigator, TSP-Onion.
