Chizokho Vero & Sano Meru
August 1
KOHIMA (MExN): Bringing thousands of smiles to Naga farmers, Nagaland’s agriculture minister Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu today said that the State government would continue to give special attention to Buy Back Scheme in the State.
Talking to The Morung Express in his office chamber, the Minister said the government had taken up identification of potential crops through crop zoning maps.
Azo said, the government would supply the particular crop to the farmers and it would buy back the same from the latter to enhance the scale of production.
“In the absence of viable marketing, Buy Back Scheme was helping the farmers a lot”, the Minister said.
Lack of marketing linkage has been one of the key dis-incentives to Naga farmers in producing surplus. Referring to poor maintenance of most of the agriculture link roads, Azo pointed out that the government does not provide separate fund for maintenance.
“The government used to construct the link roads and maintenance jobs are left to the villagers”, the Minister said.
He, however, pointed that a new scheme could be formulated so that such roads re maintained well.
“The department has to possess at least 2 to 3 bulldozers to maintain such roads”, he suggested.
Link roads are being established in the agriculturally potential area to facilitate better communication for transportation of agricultural produces to market outlet.
In a new development, Nagaland is set to host North East Agricultural Show either in Dimapur or Medziphema next year.
Recently, the State’s Home Minister Thenucho along with Agriculture Minister and MLA, Hukavi met the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in New Delhi and decision has been taken to hold NE Agro Show in Nagaland.
The show will be marked by exhibition of various agricultural products from the 8 north eastern states. Other agro and allied sectors would also take part in the show.
Sharad Pawar would inaugurate the show in coinciding with the launching of the “Year of Farmers 2006” in February next, Azo said.
The minister said that a meeting will be convened shortly by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to chalk out the programme.
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