DIPHU: A series of training, awareness, and input distribution programs were successfully conducted in three remote villages—Sarthe Tokbi, Sarman Hanse, and Desidugpa—in Assam's Karbi Anglong district. The villages are part of the Aspirational District Program.
The initiative was a collaborative effort by the All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRP) on Vegetables, AICRP on Medicinal Plants and Betel Vine, and AICRP on Mushroom, based at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat.
The program, coordinated by experts Dr. Sailen Gogoi, Dr. Reecha Das, Dr. Bikash Hazarika, Dr. Manha Bathari, and Dr. Apurba Das, aimed to promote sustainable farming practices, boost livelihoods, and enhance productivity in these marginalized areas.
As part of the initiative, 70 farmers from the three villages received essential agricultural inputs. These included ready-to-harvest mushroom bags to encourage mushroom farming, high-yielding vegetable seeds for diversified crops, agro shade nets for crop protection, and farm tools like hoes and khurpis to support efficient farming activities. This initiative is expected to help improve farm productivity and provide alternative income sources for the farmers.
Last month, a two-day training program for coffee farmers started at the Regional Coffee Research Station (RCRS) in Diphu, Karbi Anglong. Coffee seeds for the 2024-2025 financial year were distributed. After an awareness program last October, 31 new farmers have come forward to establish coffee plantations.
These farmers have completed nursery training and will plant coffee in July. Additionally, 15 officers from the Soil Conservation Department received training on coffee cultivation and processing in January. Coffee cultivation, introduced in the 1980s, had declined but is now being revitalized due to growing awareness and market potential in Karbi Anglong.
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