Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday said the state government has accorded priority to agriculture and allied sectors since 2019, with greater coordination among the Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry departments producing significant results.
Khandu inaugurated the State Agriculture Information Hub-cum-Farmers’ Hostel at Naharlagun and flagged off the Matsya e-Vaahini and e-Rickshaw, describing the initiatives as important steps towards making agriculture and allied activities sustainable and profitable sources of livelihood and entrepreneurship.
Addressing the gathering, Khandu said farmers in Arunachal Pradesh were hardworking but needed greater access to technical knowledge, market linkages and professional guidance on value addition.
He recalled that before 2019, the four departments were managed under separate ministerial portfolios, resulting in limited coordination. The state government subsequently brought the allied sectors under a coordinated ministerial framework.
Khandu said Arunachal Pradesh’s diverse agro-climatic conditions, ranging from tropical and subtropical areas in the foothills to temperate and alpine zones, offered immense potential for agriculture and horticulture.
“With such diverse climatic conditions, Arunachal Pradesh is one of the best States in the country for farming. We must make full use of this natural advantage,” he said.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for regular training of departmental officers to enable them to effectively guide farmers on modern technologies, government schemes and emerging opportunities.
Highlighting the importance of organised entrepreneurship, Khandu said the government had promoted platforms such as Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Farmer Producer Companies and other collective enterprises to help farmers and rural entrepreneurs manage their businesses professionally and access institutional support.
He said nearly 1.50 lakh women in Arunachal Pradesh had joined the SHG movement over the past decade, with women in remote villages receiving training and taking up various livelihood and business activities.
The government has also facilitated the formation of FPOs and farmer producer companies across districts to help farmers access government schemes, banking support and professional business opportunities, he said.
“This infrastructure should not merely be used; it should be used meaningfully,” Khandu said, adding that farmers could stay at the hostel and attend week-long or longer specialised training programmes focused on specific crops and allied activities.
He urged the Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry departments to make full use of the facility and organise training programmes tailored to the specific challenges and opportunities in Arunachal Pradesh.
The departments should identify leading experts from across the country and provide farmers exposure to modern technologies, technical know-how, value addition and market-oriented farming practices, he added.
(IANS Inputs)
