NAHARLAGUN, SEP 7: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday 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 additions to the State’s efforts to transform agriculture and allied sectors into sustainable and profitable avenues of livelihood and entrepreneurship. Congratulating the Department of Agriculture for creating the new infrastructure, Khandu said the facility was the first of its kind in Arunachal Pradesh to be dedicated exclusively to farmers. The Agriculture Information Hub-cum-Farmers’ Hostel, he said, should serve as a meaningful centre for capacity building, knowledge-sharing, technical training and professional exposure for farmers from across the State. “This infrastructure should not merely be used; it should be used meaningfully,” Khandu said, adding that farmers would be able to stay at the hostel and participate in week-long or longer specialised training programmes on specific crops and allied activities. He urged the Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry to utilise the facility to its fullest potential and organise training programmes suited to the specific challenges and opportunities of Arunachal Pradesh. The departments, he said, should identify the best experts from across the country and expose farmers to modern technologies, technical know-how, value addition and market-oriented farming practices. “Arunachal farmers are hardworking. What they need is greater technical knowledge, better market linkages and professional guidance on value addition,” the Chief Minister said. Khandu said the State Government has accorded special priority to the agriculture and allied sectors since 2019 and that the coordinated approach among Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry departments has yielded significant results. He recalled that before 2019, the four departments were handled under separate ministerial portfolios, resulting in inadequate coordination. To address this, the State Government brought the allied sectors under a coordinated ministerial framework. He said Arunachal Pradesh was uniquely blessed with diverse agro-climatic conditions ranging from tropical and subtropical regions in the foothills to temperate and alpine zones, providing 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 also emphasised the need for continuous training of departmental officers so that they could effectively guide farmers on modern technologies, government schemes and emerging opportunities. Highlighting the importance of organised entrepreneurship, Khandu said the Government has created platforms such as Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Farmer Producer Companies and other collective enterprises to help farmers and rural entrepreneurs professionally manage their businesses and access institutional support. He said nearly 1.50 lakh women in Arunachal Pradesh have been associated with the SHG movement over the past decade, with women in even remote villages receiving training and successfully taking up various livelihood and business activities. The Government has also facilitated the formation of FPOs and farmer producer companies across districts to enable farmers to access government schemes, banking support and professional business opportunities. Khandu announced that the State Government would soon launch a major cooperative movement by bringing together the Cooperative Department, Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj institutions. He said access to finance was crucial for the success of farming and entrepreneurship. “Farmers work hard, but unless they receive adequate returns, they will eventually lose motivation. Organisations such as FPOs, producer companies, SHGs and cooperatives must help them access finance, markets and professional support,” he said. The Chief Minister urged entrepreneurs and farmers to connect with the formal banking sector and make effective use of government subsidies and institutional financing to expand their businesses. Khandu said value addition was among the biggest priorities for the agriculture and horticulture sectors.He called for effective utilisation of the upcoming Mega Food Park at Banderdewa, where FPOs and producer companies could be provided space and facilities to undertake food processing and value addition. The departments, he said, should work in close coordination to identify appropriate machinery and infrastructure for processing locally produced agricultural and horticultural commodities. He also referred to the Mini Food Park at Namsai, where work is already underway and which is expected to be completed soon. “Our products must move beyond farms. We need a clear, product-wise roadmap to take them through value addition and into the market,” Khandu said. Khandu said Arunachal Pradesh already had a significant market for locally produced agricultural and allied products, particularly because of its strategic location and the presence of the Indian Army, ITBP and other Central Armed Police Forces. He said the State Government had been working to promote supply of locally produced commodities to the armed forces through cooperatives, with the initiative already being successfully implemented in several districts. The departments, he said, should assess the requirements of the armed forces and accordingly train farmers, provide seeds and support the production of commodities required by them. The Chief Minister also highlighted the enormous market potential in fisheries, poultry, dairy, pork and other livestock products. “Despite being a predominantly meat-consuming society, we continue to depend heavily on products brought from outside the State. This is a market opportunity that our farmers and entrepreneurs must seize,” he said. Khandu said the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region had assigned specific responsibilities to the Chief Ministers of the eight Northeastern States for developing a roadmap to transform key sectors by 2047. As part of this exercise, Arunachal Pradesh has been entrusted with responsibilities relating particularly to poultry, dairy, meat and fisheries sectors. He said extensive consultations and meetings had been held over the past year and a final report was submitted during the North Eastern Council meeting held in Shillong. The roadmap, he said, would include short-term, medium-term and long-term strategies for transforming these sectors, and the State Government would provide support and funds for priority initiatives. Referring to oil palm cultivation, Khandu said India currently imports edible oil worth aroundRs80,000 crore annually, indicating the enormous potential for domestic production. He said the Northeast, particularly the foothill regions of Arunachal
