ITANAGAR : Horticulture minister Gabriel D Wangsu on Sunday asked the state horticulture department to adopt a market-oriented approach to ensure farmers receive better returns from scientific interventions.
Chairing the department’s Chintan Baithak – Review Meeting 2026 here, Wangsu said crop promotion should be based on ground realities and stressed that the department must move beyond research and cultivation to strengthen market linkages.
“It should be lab to land to market — not merely lab to land,” the minister said, underscoring that scientific advances must ultimately translate into higher incomes for farmers.
He directed officials to prioritise marketing and farmer profitability while implementing horticulture schemes and urged them to embrace emerging technologies and innovative practices to meet changing sectoral needs.
Stating that the department’s success would be judged by improvements in farmers’ livelihoods and productivity, Wangsu said tangible outcomes in the field would help secure greater priority for the horticulture sector within the government.
Advisor to the minister Talem Taboh appreciated the work of district horticulture officers and advocated providing dedicated vehicles for field officials. He also called for consultation with local representatives during beneficiary selection and sought timely promotions for officers.
Horticulture secretary Koj Rinya outlined the roadmap for the sector, stressing the need to strengthen research and development and build robust value chains for major horticultural crops. She also proposed the constitution of a committee to monitor on-ground implementation of government schemes.
The meeting was attended by horticulture director Tobom Bam, officials from the state horticulture research and development institute, district officers and representatives from Krishi Vigyan Kendras of Kurung Kumey and Dibang Valley.
Concluding the meeting, Wangsu expressed hope that the review of achievements, challenges and success stories would inspire district officers to work with renewed commitment for the holistic development of the horticulture sector in the state.
