Nagaland Governor, PB Acharya, has called upon the agriculture and allied departments and all the agricultural universities to motivate and mould interested and promising entrepreneurs.
Governor was at the “Sensitization programme for enhancing farm income and livelihood security in Nagaland”, organised by ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema on Saturday. Acharya also laid emphasis on bringing out at least five entrepreneurs from each district in various sectors. He encouraged the graduates to take up such entrepreneurship ventures. On the occasion, the governor also lauded the initiatives taken by ICAR and KVKs to uplift the socio-economic condition of farmers through sustainable agricultural practices.
Further, Acharya stressed that ICAR and Universities should work in collaboration so the benefit research and development reach the interior mass.
He also motivated the farmers and the entrepreneurs to be more pro-active and to be self sufficient in all aspects.
Governor, who graced the occasion as chief guest, inaugurated the exhibition unit cum sale counter, mushroom spawn production unit and ornamental fish breeding and rearing unit.
In his inaugural speech, Dr. DJ Rajkhowa, joint director, ICAR Nagaland Centre, highlighted the role and activities being undertaken by the ICAR for the development of agriculture and allied sectors in the state. He urged the farmers to adopt scientific ways of farming for self-sufficiency of agriculture and allied sectors in a sustainable way.
Dr. G.D Rao, Dean, College of veterinary science, CAU, Jalukie shared a brief remark on the role of institutes in the development of agri and allied sectors.
A farmers-scientist interaction programme was conducted where resource persons from ICAR Nagaland centre and KVKs addressed problems raised by the farmers. Simultaneously, a technical session on agri entrepreneurship development in Nagaland was held where lectures were delivered by Dr. G Kadrivel, Principal Scientist (PI- Agri Business Incubation ICAR Umiam), Dr. S. Ruth Assumi Scientist-Horticulture, and Nilufar Sheikh NID-Guwahati. Input in the form of livestocks, seeds and farm machinery were distributed to the farmers and 11 publications including extension folders and training manuals from the centre were also released by the chief guest.