Wedo Medo
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Lily E Konyak
Roll No: B-1318/20; B.Sc. (Hons) Ag. 2nd year
NU: SASRD, Medziphema Campus
The North East- Initiative Development Agency (NEIDA) is a not-for-profit organization, which is an initiative of the Tata Trusts. The organization with the vision “Towards building an inclusive enabling environment for improving the quality of life in North –Eastern region of India” is facilitating and helping farmers in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland to transform their quality of lives through its project interventions.
NEIDA works towards improving the quality of lives of communities that it works with through its engagement in the following sectors: i) Rural Livelihoods ii) Forest Based Livelihoods iii) Drinking Water and Sanitation, and iv) Sports Promotion.
One such beneficiary of NEIDA is 34 year old, Wedo Medo of Pfutseromi village under Phek district, Nagaland. He has been farming for many years, as agriculture has been the primary source of income for their family. He owns 4(four) acres of land, where he grows various crops ranging from field crops like paddy, to vegetable crops like potato, cabbage, peas, tomato, garlic etc. He also rears pigs and poultry for domestic use.
NEIDA first came to their village in the year 2015 and he was introduced to NEIDA through its implementing partner, Chakhesang Women Welfare Society (CWWS) Pfutsero. Before the intervention of NEIDA and CWWS, he faced different kinds of challenges such as, being unable to construct a pigsty, unable to get seedlings and unable to construct polyhouse. But after NEIDA’s project intervention, he constructed the pigsty with the raw material (cement, bricks etc.) which was provided through the project “Piggery Enterprise.”He has also been receiving help in the form of seed supply at a cheaper rate which has helped him in increasing his crop yield.
NEIDA has constructed low-cost cold storage and water harvesting tank, in his village which is helping him and all the other beneficiaries in improving their farming.
The new things that he has learned about farming from NEIDA are SRI Method on paddy cultivation, care and management of rearing piggery and setting up and maintenance of nursery.
His annual income was Rs 80,000-90,000. But through the project intervention, his annual income has increased to 1.5 lakhs (Agri farming & livestock). With support from NEIDA, he is able to produce more crops and make more income by selling it. He said “After joining NEIDA’s project as a beneficiary, I could make more income in my livelihoods earning through cropping and piggery farming.”
And at present, he is also one of the selected Nursery Entrepreneur under the project titled “Catalyzing complementary Olericulture in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland for Livelihood Security by provisioning Quality Seed and Seedling of Indigenous and Commercial Vegetables Generated through Hi Tech Mini Plug Nursery and Conventional Means and Promotion of Bio-Enterprise” implemented by NEIDA. He also said, “I am sure, I can get more income through poly house (nursery sapling) which is under process.” He wishes more farmers to be a part of NEIDA, as he believes that it will help them in their farming.
He said “It’s a great pleasure to be a part of NEIDA’s family, gain many knowledge and support based on Agri farming, piggery and also in setting up nursery.”
