The Agriculture Department, Government of Manipur, in association with Pukhao Farmers Club, Imphal East, organised a farming training programme aimed at improving agricultural practices and increasing crop production.
During the programme, farmers were provided training and agricultural inputs, including Sagol Hawai, Nung Hawai, Muk Hawai, Mairongbi and spray pumps. The organisers also stressed the need to reduce dependence on food transported into the state through national highways.
Speaking on the occasion, Joychandra Konthoujam said the initiatives being implemented under the guidance of the Director of Agriculture were commendable. He said providing farmers with agricultural inputs free of cost would help create a stronger farming community, but stressed that such assistance must be properly utilised.
He called for a major transformation in Manipur’s agricultural sector, saying the government and farmers must work together to develop sustainable and productive farming practices.
Joychandra said developed countries devote significantly more time and resources to agricultural production, while Manipur must also work towards increasing productivity within its available land and resources. He urged farmers to learn from successful agricultural practices elsewhere and increase food production so that the state can reduce its dependence on supplies from outside.
He said the people of Manipur should reconsider their dependence on food brought through the Dimapur, Jiribam and Moreh routes. Instead, efforts should be made to produce a wider variety of crops locally, with improved quality and productivity.
He further said the Agriculture Department and farmers have a major role in building a self-reliant Manipur. Increasing local production, he added, would not only ensure food security but also strengthen the state’s economy.
Expressing concern over Manipur’s dependence on food supplies brought through national highways, Joychandra said disruptions or restrictions on highway movement could directly affect the availability of essential commodities in the state.
He urged people to abandon the mindset that food must necessarily be brought from outside. Citing the agricultural potential of Manipur, he said the state’s fertile land and favourable conditions could support substantially higher production if farmers adopted improved methods and worked with greater commitment.
Joychandra said states such as Haryana have demonstrated how agricultural production can be expanded significantly and maintained that Manipur too could achieve greater self-sufficiency if concerted efforts were made.
