MOKOKCHUNG — A
one-day training programme on the "Organic Cultivation of Potato" was
held in Mokokchung on Thursday, organised jointly by the State Agriculture
Research Station (SARS), Yisemyong, and the Indian Agricultural Research
Institute-Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI) Research Station,
Shillong.
The event brought together farmers from Mokokchung,
Tuensang, and Longleng districts to improve seed supply systems, innovative
farming techniques, and government support to enhance sustainable potato
production in Nagaland.
Dr. N Sailo, senior scientist from ICAR-CPRI Shillong,
emphasised on the occasion that the unavailability of quality potato seeds
remains a significant obstacle to sustainable potato production in the
northeastern states.
He outlined the critical need for seed production chains to
ensure a consistent supply, scientific methods to enhance cultivation
techniques and timely planting schedules, and government support for
sustainable potato farming.
Dr. Sailo acknowledged the unique challenges faced in hill
and slope-based farming but assured that scientific solutions are available to
address these issues.
Lipokonen Jamir, joint director of SARS Yisemyong,
highlighted Nagaland’s diverse ecological zones, which provide a distinct
advantage for producing crops across different seasons. He shared ongoing
efforts by SARS Yisemyong to identify optimal sowing dates for various crops,
yielding promising results for the off-season cultivation of maize and other
crops.
Jamir also echoed Dr. Sailo’s concerns about the lack of
quality seeds, noting that farmers in Nagaland heavily rely on seeds from
outside the state, leading to delays and mismatches in seasonal planting. He
stressed the importance of developing local seed production systems to address
this gap.
Both experts recognised the high market potential of potato
cultivation. Jamir revealed that SARS Yisemyong has been experimenting with
potato varieties over the past year and is optimistic that the results will
benefit farmers.
To support this, five varieties of breeder potato seeds have
been distributed to grassroots farmers in Mokokchung, Tuensang, and Longleng
for experimental cultivation. The feedback from these trials will help guide
the scaling-up of potato farming in partnership with the ICAR-CPRI Research
Station, Shillong.
During the technical sessions, farmers were introduced to
natural and organic farming methods by Lipokonen Jamir, joint director of SARS
Yisemyong, while experts from ICAR-CPRI Shillong, including Dr. N. Sailo,
shared best practices for organic potato cultivation. This was followed by
frontline demonstrations and field visits, providing hands-on experience.
