A coffee nursery at Lokung village in Tuensang district. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Tuensang | March 2
Director of Land Resources T Renben Lotha interacted with coffee growers at Tuensang on February 27 and stressed on the importance of the crop during an official visit to supervise the implementation of Integrated Watershed Management Programme, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana-Watershed Development Component-(PMKSY-WDC) programme in the district.
Assuring support from the department the director said, coffee is a crop which will improve the economy of the rural people as the climate and soil is favourable. The director said that coffee nurseries would be raised in the district and after verification; saplings would be distributed to the growers so that the quality is not compromised.
He also said that jhum cultivation has put additional pressure on water sources as forests are being cut down. However, he expressed optimism that more farmers would pick coffee farming and thereby, reducing the need to cut down forests for jhum. He also encouraged the farmers and the villagers to opt for social fencings to protect forests and vegetation by opting for coffee farming. If the response is positive, the department may even come up with coffee village in the district, he added.
Further, the director acknowledged the initiative of the Chang Baptist Association (CBA) to take coffee crop as a livelihood component of the churches and association.
The director advised CBA Executive Secretary Rev Achu to supervise Lokung coffee farmers and help them raise one lakh coffee saplings.
Rev Achu meanwhile remarked that there is huge potential for the crop in the district. He said that in Lokung village, the coffee plants started to bear fruit in just ten month after planting, indicating the suitability of the crop.
Stating that coffee production in the district would only continue to rise, he affirmed his commitment to work closely with the department. He further stated that more farmers are turning to coffee crop which in turn, has reduced forest destruction.
