Wokha district officials along with the representatives of NECTAR during the consultative meeting-cum-signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), held at the DC Conference Hall, Wokha, on February 20. (Morung Photo)
Rs 5.3 crore CFC to come up in Merapani for banana waste utilisation
Morung Express News
Wokha | February 20
A consultative meeting-cum-signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the District Administration, Wokha and the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), Shillong, was held at the DC Conference Hall, Wokha on February 20.
The MoU was signed with the objective of strengthening cooperation in key developmental sectors, particularly agriculture and allied activities, through technological interventions and collaborative initiatives.
Deputy Commissioner of Wokha, Vineet Kumar, in his welcome address, underscored the importance of innovation-driven development in a district where nearly 90 per cent of the population depends on agriculture and where large-scale industries are absent. He emphasised that technological integration in farming and agro-based sectors is crucial for ensuring economic sustainability and growth.
Highlighting ongoing efforts, the Deputy Commissioner informed that the district administration has previously signed MoUs with premier institutions including CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development and ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana to strengthen scientific and technical support for farmers. He also mentioned the district’s first Banana Festival as a significant initiative aimed at promoting value addition and innovation.
Director General of NECTAR, Dr Arun Kumar Sarma, spoke on the growing need for scientific organic farming and technology-based solutions to enhance productivity. He informed that nearly 2,000 farmers from Nagaland are currently connected under NECTAR’s organic farming initiative.
As part of the programme, a virtual inauguration of a Community Managed Seed System (CMSS) seed bank at Baghty village was carried out. The seed bank, established and managed by the local farming community, aims to provide access to locally adapted seeds, support small and marginal farmers, and promotes climate-resilient landraces and indigenous agricultural practices.
PGS Scope 1 certificates were also distributed to master trainers in Wokha under the PM-DevINE project.
Dr Sarma further highlighted the banana pseudo-stem value addition project, under which a Common Facility Centre (CFC) worth Rs 5.3 crore is being set up in Merapani. The initiative is expected to generate employment and convert banana waste into value-added products.
Encouraging farmers and local entrepreneurs, including enterprises such as Yuthi Delight, he assured continued technical support and urged stakeholders to submit proposals for assistance.
The meeting concluded with detailed deliberations on future collaboration between NECTAR and the district administration for the overall development of Wokha district. The programme was attended by district officials, departmental heads, farmers and entrepreneurs.
