Nagaland coffee growers & field officers begin pre-harvest training

November 2, 2022 38 Views No Comment

Our Correspondent
Kohima | November 2

Several coffee growers and field officers from different parts of Nagaland joined a four-day long pre-harvest training on coffee under the aegis of Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Nagaland, which commenced at Yahweh Empower Stature (YES) Agro Park, Gariphema on November 1. Gariphema lies 54 km away from state’s capital Kohima.

Gracing the inaugural function as the special guest, I Meyionen Jamir, Chief Information Commissioner of Nagaland, maintained that the amount of hard work that is put in the coffee cultivation will be rewarded only with a good quality harvest.

“We will fetch a better price for our coffee only if we strictly follow the instructions given by the experts,” he said and felt that imparting training to the farmers by the DoLR should be a regular programme.

He urged the department to organise similar trainings in all the districts to reach out to as many farmers to have the maximum benefits.

Also stressing on the need to assist the coffee farmers financially and to identify more ways to encourage the farmers, Jamir said, “Many crops in the state have failed. Unless the department does something more to bail out the coffee farmers, I am afraid the initial enthusiasm for coffee plantations in the state might slow down and farmers will be discouraged for want of financial support.”

Jamir urged the department to take more initiative to see that coffee is not a failure in the state.

Talking on time-taking to produce results, Jamir said “Let us have patience and work hard to bring about an improved economic condition.” He said, “Our people are very short sighted. We always look for quick returns. We want to become rich overnight. We have not learned the hard way of establishing our life, our family and our economic condition.”

Also stressing on the need to give up ‘Hajira mentality’ (daily wage-earner’s life style), he said “We never look beyond tomorrow. When we have this mentality and mindset, there’s no question of planning for the future.”

Dr Pieter Vermeulen, Managing Director, Noble Cause Company from Cape Town, South Africa, the master trainer of this training programme, highlighted the purpose of the training.

Dr Pieter called upon the coffee growers to take pride to give the best coffee to the world. He was hopeful that the participants will gain maximum benefit from this training and adopt the strategy of coffee upto international level.

Vikeyie Kenya, Secretary, DoLR, Nagaland said that the department has identified many areas for cultivation of coffee in Nagaland and many potential areas are yet to be covered.

Chairing the inaugural programme, A Pangjung Jamir, Director, Land Resources said that the department has been conducting series of training programme to boost coffee cultivation in the state. Jamir said that Dr Pieter Vermeulen have been working together with the land resources department for promotion of coffee in Nagaland. He asked the participants to take advantages of the training programme and educate the villagers after learning the various procedures of coffee cultivation.

Vibeilietuo Kets, chairman, Gariphema Village Council thanked the department for conducting this training programme in his YES Agro Park and also initiating various steps to promote coffee cultivation across the state.

The first day of the training programme covered ‘Introduction to Green Coffee.’ The rest three-days will touch on ‘Green Coffee Grading’ and ‘Good Farming Practice.’

Later, talking to The Morung Express, Kets said that he undertook coffee cultivation in his YES Agro Park in 2018, spreading 20 hectare. He planted about 28,000 coffee trees and fetched 600 kgs harvest last year. Kets is expecting 1000- 2000 kg harvest this year.

YES Agro Park spreads over 50 hectares. Alongside coffee cultivation, the Park houses avocado, black pepper, lime, beans, corn, paddy, sweet potatoes, papaya, banana, giloy, pumpkin and taro.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/nagaland-coffee-growers-field-officers-begin-pre-harvest-training