ITANAGAR : The Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here on Tuesday to strengthen market linkages for farmers and boost rural livelihoods in the state.
The MoU was signed at the DK State Convention Centre by APAMB Chief Executive Officer Okit Palling and SSB Frontier HQ Tezpur Inspector General Bishwajeet Kr Pal in the presence of Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture and Allied Departments Minister Gabriel D Wangsu, Agriculture Secretary Samuel Changkija, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Secretary YVVJ Rajasekhar and senior officers of the concerned departments and SSB.
Under the partnership, the SSB will procure fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry directly from local farmers, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and cooperatives, providing institutional buyers for agricultural and allied produce from even the remote areas of the state.
The initiative has been modelled on the lines of Mission Arun Himveer, under which local farmers supply fruits and vegetables to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), bypassing the standard tendering process.
Speaking on the occasion, Wangsu described the agreement as a “win-win” partnership for farmers as well as security forces. He said the collaboration would provide a dependable market for local producers while strengthening the bond between the farming community and security personnel serving in the state.
“We are into serious business of agriculture production in the state,” the minister said, stressing the government’s focus on increasing agricultural production and establishing reliable market linkages.
He assured that efforts would be made to supply fresh, quality and organically produced farm products to SSB units and stressed the need to sustain and expand the partnership in the coming years.
SSB Frontier HQ Tezpur Inspector General Bishwajeet Kr Pal said procurement of produce from villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme was not merely a commercial activity but also a means to increase farmers’ income in border areas and strengthen national security.
He called for close coordination among stakeholders to address challenges and strengthen the long-term supply chain. He suggested battalion-level coordination meetings and urged farmers to participate in GeM tendering for large-scale supply of fruits and vegetables. He also expressed interest in procuring indigenous millets from Arunachal farmers.
Agriculture Secretary Samuel Changkija said the state government was committed to increasing farmers’ income and noted that such initiatives could also act as a catalyst for reverse migration. He highlighted the simplified payment mechanism for farmers supplying produce under the initiative.
Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Secretary YVVJ Rajasekhar highlighted the potential of the state to supply dairy products, fish and other allied products to SSB units at competitive prices.
APAMB Chief Executive Officer Okit Palling highlighted the achievements of Mission Krishi Veer, under which around 900 MT of fruits and vegetables worth over Rs 1 crore has been supplied to the Indian Army since its launch on August 19, 2022.
He said Mission Arun Himveer, launched on November 29, 2024, had facilitated the supply of around 300 MT of fruits and vegetables worth more than Rs 39 lakh to the ITBP. A majority of the suppliers under both initiatives are women-led SHGs, he added.
Palling expressed confidence that continued coordination among the stakeholders would help overcome challenges and further expand the initiative.
