Success story of high quality protein maize- HQPM5 maize at Peren district of Nagaland

Sangdinthui is a 35 years old angadwadi worker from Jalukiekam village in Peren district of Nagaland. She cultivates maize, sesame, colocasia and vegetables in her 1.5-acre land and rears pig and poultry in backyard system. 

In 2021, HQPM was introduced in her village through KVK Peren, she decided to cultivate HQPM maize for its high yield and nutritive value. HQPM5 seeds were supplied by KVK Peren. From her one-acre land, she could harvest 10.88 qt of maize from one season and use for her household consumption.

She sold some cobs @Rs 7/pc at the nearby market and earned Rs 2800. The remaining matured grains were stored in hermetic bags provided by KVK Peren. She used these grains to feed her 20 nos local poultry chickens and two pigs which could save her Rs 12000 that she usually spent to purchase broken rice @Rs 20/kg from the Doyapur local market for her livestock. From this enterprise she earned a net profit of Rs 17,514 in one season. 

Now she advocates cultivation of high yielding and quality protein maize among her farming community.

Article contributed by Patu K Zeliang, Z James Kikon, L Babita Devi and K L Meena.