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DIMAPUR — Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kiphire, and the district horticulture office, Kiphire, jointly conducted a five-day certificate training course from September 25 to 29 on horticulture based integrated farming system (IFS) for doubling farmers’ income.
The training was conducted for the family welfare of the 14th IRB battalion, Okhezung village, Kiphire, at the conference hall of the battalion, with Nzanthung Yanthan, DFO (fishery), as the special guest at the inaugural programme, according to a press note.
Speaking on the occasion, Yanthan emphasised the importance of practicing an integrated farming system promoted by KVK Kiphire as an ideal farming system because it insures farmers against crop failure.
He said that the horticulture-based system is the most profitable farming system among the IFS system because the horticulture components, particularly the fruits, provide a high income to the farmers.
He urged the participants to learn about the new techniques that would be taught during the five-day programme and to make the most of it.
Delivering the keynote address, Senti Longchar, DHO, talked about the importance of practising kitchen gardening, citing that it not only meets the family’s requirement for food but also meets nutritional needs.
He also highlighted the different schemes and encouraged the participants to actively implement the programmes.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]The resource persons for the five days training programme were Selila Sangtam, agriculture inspector, district agriculture office, Kiphire; Inalika Chishi, area coordinator, non-farm Sitimi block, NSRLM Kiphire; Nephrozole, assistant fishery inspector, district fishery office, Kiphire; Seroba Sangtam, horticulture extension assistant, district horticulture office, Kiphire; and Temjenna Jamir, subject matter specialist (SMS), district agromet unit (DAMU), KVK Kiphire.
During the training, topics such as the importance and health benefits of millet in the diet, the importance of post harvest technology, and the importance of FSSAI licence registration for start-ups were covered.
The importance of labelling on value-added products, winter vegetable cultivation practices, an integrated fish farming system for livelihood security, and components of a horti-based farming system were also discussed.
Further, participants were given hands-on training in oyster mushroom cultivation and brinjal pickle preparation.
Longpoksang Lemtur, deputy commandant, 14th IRB, attended as a special guest the valedictory programme, where he encouraged the family welfare community to dedicate themselves to various farming activities as educated by the various resource persons during the demonstration and training programmes.
He also expressed gratitude to the various departments for organising such a programme in their unit and expressed hope for similar trainings in the near future.
In total, 50 people attended the training programme. Participants also received inputs such as vegetable seeds and mushroom spawn sponsored by DHO Kiphire and fish feed sponsored by DFO (fishery).
Dr. N Khumdemo Ezung, senior scientist (i/c), served as course director, and Temjenna Jamir SMS, DAMU, served as associate course director.