Dimapur, October 9 (MExN): Officials of FOCUS-Nagaland (Foster Climate Resilient Farming Systems in the North East –Nagaland) and CIP (International Potato Centre) held a meeting at the office of the CIP, PUSA, New Delhi on October 9.
The meeting was held to discuss about a project proposal to develop a Low-Cost Potato Seed Production System for Improved Livelihoods and Food Security for Resource Poor Farmers of Nagaland as a sub project within the FOCUS project, stated a DIPR report.
“The team of CIP is expected to visit the state very soon for further discussion and site visits. The signing of the MoU with the Government of Nagaland is expected before the end of the year after the approval of IFAD,” it stated.
During the meeting, APC and MD of FOCUS-Nagaland, Y Kikheto Sema, IAS stated that the traditional way of farming is not only economically viable but also ecologically unsustainable hence the state government is focusing on development of sustainable farming as a business enterprise.
He stated that unlike in the mainland, the united states of Northeast, and Nagaland in particular, has a varied agro-climatic condition having the advantage to produce potato in all the three seasons of the year and this will benefit the farming community in increasing the production.
Regional Director of CIP (Asia), Dr Somarendu Mohanty highlighted that the primary objective of the project is to establish a potato seed production system in the state to make high quality seeds available to farmers at an affordable price in a timely manner.
He revealed that the combination of lower seed costs and higher yields will make potato cultivation more profitable for small and marginal farmers in the state and expand potato acreage and production.
This will be achieved through the introduction and scaling up of decentralized low-cost seed production technologies such as rooted apical cuttings. He mentioned that while the project is expected to be funded through the FOCUS project, CIP will serve as a technical partner.
