Meghalaya has unveiled an ambitious ₹295-crore expansion of its organic farming programme and forged new international partnerships to position women farmers at the centre of sustainable agriculture and global value chains.
The announcements came at the conclusion of the two-day International Conference on Women Farmers and Sustainable Organic Agriculture, organised by the Meghalaya Natural and Organic Farming Society for Livelihood and Innovation in Agriculture (MEGNOLIA) in collaboration with IFOAM Organics Asia and the German development bank KfW Development Bank in Shillong. The conference concluded on June 27.
Held under the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer theme, “Women Farmers Leading Change Globally for Organic Food Systems,” the conference brought together around 400 delegates, policymakers and farmers from more than 10 countries.
A major highlight was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between MEGNOLIA and IFOAM Organics Asia, alongside the adoption of a conference declaration committing participants to global organic standards and women-led agricultural transformation.
The state government also officially launched Phase II of the Meghalaya State Organic Mission (MSOM) 2024-2028, which aims to bring an additional 44,000 hectares and 46,000 small and marginal farmers under certified organic cultivation.