Dimapur: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday emphasised the need to strengthen the ‘one crop, one village’ initiative.
Expressing satisfaction with the progress of cluster farming, Rio said commercial viability improves when villages grow selected crops collectively.
He said this while launching the Coffee Table Book of the 24th Dr. T. Ao Inter-District Football Trophy at the Kohima District Planning and Development Board meeting-cum-Advent Christmas held at Phezou Resort in Tuophema Village under Kohima district.
Rio encouraged the promotion of avocado and persimmon, informing the board that 12,000 avocado saplings have already been distributed.
He also urged the expansion of coffee cultivation, particularly in the northern areas of Nagaland, where the state’s coffee is gaining demand for its aroma, flavour, and organic qualities.
Rio reminded the gathering to work with the resources the land provides, emphasising that Nagaland’s soil is fertile and ideal for organic production.
He also stressed the importance of fostering stronger relationships with farmers and urged officers and departments to understand the farmers, their interests, and their land to implement government initiatives more effectively.
During the meeting, the Agriculture Department presented updates on the cluster-based farming model and noted that although agriculture remains a way of life in Nagaland, it is making efforts to shift toward a more business-oriented approach to improve farmers’ income.
The department highlighted ginger, potato, red rice, king chilli, maize, millet, garlic, rice bean, and Job’s tears as crops showing strong market potential.
The Horticulture Department briefed the board on crop suitability across different parts of the district and explained that kiwi and persimmon suit the western and southern areas, citrus suits the northern belt, and oranges suit the Kohima Sadar region.
It said the ‘one crop, one village’ model was first piloted in Khonoma village and that field visits have shown promising scope for expanding kiwi cultivation.
