tEA officials and others with participants at the launching programme at Pholami on December 8.
1 lakh planted across Nagaland and Manipur under Trees for Wealth movement
Our Correspondent
Kohima | December 9
The Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA) is on ambitious path to trigger scaling of Tamarillo production in the state.
Through the Trees for Wealth movement, 1 lakh Tamarillo saplings have been planted across Nagaland and Manipur. The Tamarillo planted have been sourced from the micro-nurseries being nurtured by farmers and women vendors who were drawn into this initiative during the pandemic when tEA began the work to enable additional income for marginalised individuals whose livelihoods were affected during the pandemic.
Taking this work forward tEA will also be further planting an additional 40,000 Tamarillo saplings with the support of the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of the Dharampal Satyapal (DS) Group.
The partnership will support the training and plantation of Tamarillo in 10 districts of Phek and Kohima district, which will ensure additional income for 400 households in the two districts.
This initiative was launched on December 8 at Pholami Village, Phek District with the tEA team meeting with the 62 households, who will be participating in the project. The tEA will train them on best practices for raising this plant, provide skills trainings to add value to the product and also offer ‘buy back’ policy to farmers who wish to sell their produce.
The initiative will plough back resources into the rural communities in the 70% agrarian state such as Nagaland. The farmers will not only earn from the sale of the fruits but through the nurturing of saplings that micro-orchards will demand as more and more people begin to see the value in agri-business.
Speaking at the launch programme which was chaired by Cukhoyi Chiero, Zonal Head, tEA, Phek Zone, Neichute Doulo, CEO, tEA shared about the need for people to begin investing in agri-business and leveraging the opportunities available to us rather than trying to imitate others. He challenged the youngsters to focus on agriculture and its immense opportunities, stating that ‘Our current style on education often leads to shame of work and loss of dignity of labour’ and must be reconsidered. Under the programme, intercropping with garlic, sesame, ginger and turmeric will be encouraged to give farmers income even as they wait for the trees to bear fruit.
Technical best practices that can be adopted to nurture Tamarillo saplings were presented by Arishinaro Longkumer, M.tech, Soil and Conservation. tEA’s Professional Associate talked about the scientific method of planting Tamarillo and the tips that can be kept in mind to prevent diseases in the plant. Zacusa Medeo, ex pastor of the village encouraged the villagers to take up farming seriously. Associated with tEA since early 2000 for various fruit tree plantations, the present micro-orchard owner shared from his experience about the benefits of enjoying additional incomes from fruit trees in addition to vegetables.
After the Trees for Wealth movement launched, tEA has been working with the farmers to raise micro-nurseries and motivating farmers to scale the plantation and production of fruits.
With the launch of the programme on December 8, farmers in Pholami village will now have additional income from the Tamarillo being planted and the intercropping initiative.
