Around 300 farmers, mostly women, received seedlings and know-how at a capacity-building programme held at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Community and Skill Development Center on Saturday. Addressing the programme organised by NEHU-DDUCC in collaboration with ICAR-IIHR, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Urban Affairs Sniawbhalang Dhar urged the farmers to turn new techniques into enterprises. “Utilise the knowledge from the scientists and resource persons to face the challenge and become entrepreneurs,” Dhar said, lauding DDUCC’s skill sessions for benefiting youth and women. Dhar assured that he would provide necessary support for further such programmes in Jaintia Hills. He reminded farmers of their national role and said community-level upskilling fits his vision for holistic development.
The day-long training, titled “Skill Enhancement for Horticultural Development and Sustainability for Farmers of NEH Region,” paired NEHU Tura’s Prof CP Suresh and Laskein ADO Phoida Rymbai in classroom and field demos on improved horticulture methods pitched at health and wellness for youth and women. ICAR-IIHR principal scientist T Sakthivel called the belt promising for targeted crops and proposed backing DDUCC to become a hub for tomatoes and avocados suited to the microclimate. School of Life Sciences dean Prof SK Barik urged growers to adopt the practices and tap government subsidies, looking ahead to wider collaboration that could make the Wahiajer centre a regional model.