Arunachal Pradesh Villages Get Health, Farm Push Amid SUMP Outreach

Nine villages in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district received a focused push on health, farming, and infrastructure awareness last month, as part of a 10-day community outreach campaign that ran from March 28 to April 7.

The initiative was carried out in collaboration with the AARRO Welfare Society and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Geku, with the aim of combining grassroots welfare work with broader regional development goals — including building public awareness around the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).

Also Read: More villagers back SUMP’s PFR activity in Likor

Farmers Trained on Citrus Farming and Beekeeping

Organisers held five agriculture and horticulture camps across the district, guided by Pravin Pati Tripathi, Subject Matter Specialist in Plant Protection at KVK Geku. The sessions were designed to give farmers practical, science-based knowledge to improve their yields and long-term incomes.

At Sitang village, around 30 residents joined discussions on sustainable orange cultivation and beekeeping as a supplementary source of income.

Parong village hosted a session on modern orchard management, while Begging village focused on crop protection practices. In Riew village, representatives from 65 households came together to address disease management in orange crops.

The camp series concluded at Sumsing village, where 52 residents participated in knowledge-sharing on sustainable farming techniques.

Health and Sanitation Camps Run Alongside

In parallel, four health and sanitation camps were organised under the AARRO Welfare Society's banner to promote preventive healthcare across the district.

The first camp was held at Janbo village, followed by a session at Pugging village.

Strong Community Support for SUMP Noted

Officials noted a notable finding at Pugging village — nearly 98 per cent of residents expressed support for the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.

The SUMP has been a subject of ongoing discussion in the region, and the outreach campaign appears to have served as a platform for residents to engage directly with information about the project.