Mizoram: In a major effort to promote eco-friendly agriculture and climate resilience, the prominent environmental organization Aaranyak, in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Mamit, recently conducted a comprehensive two-day residential training programme in Mizoram, on Tuesday. The initiative focused heavily on the implementation of Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) and natural farming methodologies to equip local communities with sustainable livelihood alternatives.
Supported by the international IUCN-KfW initiative, the residential workshop took place on November 3 and 4, 2026, at the KVK Mamit campus located in Lengpui. The event brought together a diverse group of 12 active agriculturists, consisting of seven men and five women. These participants represented six key project villages within the region: Rajiv Nagar, Tuipuibari, Damparengpui, Teirei, Saithah, and Lallen.
The extensive training curriculum merged theoretical, technical sessions with hands-on practical demonstrations and field exposure. Agricultural experts from KVK Mamit and the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) led the modules. They educated the farmers on how to seamlessly combine multiple agricultural components—such as food crops, agroforestry, livestock, and poultry—into a singular, zero-waste loop.
During the sessions, resource experts highlighted that the core philosophy of an Integrated Farming System relies on recycling waste. By utilizing the byproduct of one agricultural component as a vital input for another, farmers can drastically minimize operational costs and mitigate reliance on chemical fertilizers. "Adopting integrated natural farming is vital for safeguarding our fragile local ecosystems while ensuring that household farm incomes remain stable despite erratic climate and weather shifts," noted a coordinator from the project.
The practical field visits allowed the participants to directly observe successful model farms. Armed with this new knowledge, the trained farmers are expected to establish demonstration plots in their respective villages, effectively acting as community ambassadors for sustainable agriculture across Mizoram.