Awareness programme for Eri farmers held in Shillong

WILLIAMNAGAR: The office of the district sericulture officer, East Garo Hills, organized an awareness programme for the Eri farmers of the district under the North-Eastern Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) at DRDA Hall, Williamnagar on Tuesday, a press release stated.

The chief guest of the programme, L Ch Marak, Deputy Commissioner, expressed his happiness for getting the opportunity to meet the Eri farmers of the district after assuming the office, and said that Eri farming helped in improving the livelihood of farmers by engaging them in market-oriented agriculture. Besides urging the farmers to create employment to others and to grab the opportunities being provided to them by the government in the form of schemes, he also stressed the need for taking up organic farming. The Block Development Officer (BDO), Samanda C&RD Block, PK Sangma called upon the gathering to take up handloom and weaving to boost Eri, cocoon and silk production in the region and said that traditional dresses are diminishing slowly because the people have lost interest in handloom and weaving.

The District Sericulture Officer, Sanre G Momin, while delivering the welcome and keynote address, informed that the Integrated Sericulture Development Project (ISDP) of the NERTPS comprises three schemes in Meghalaya like Eri Farming in East Garo Hills, Muga Farming in West Garo Hills and Mulberry Farming in Jaintia Hills. She also informed that under the ISDP, the farmers have the opportunity of availing schemes like nursery farming and silk production. From next year onwards, the Eri Market will start in Williamnagar where the farmers will have the opportunity to buy and sell their products, she informed.

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