Khonoma hosts Nagaland’s first Garlic Festival, uniting farmers and experts

Our Correspondent 
Kohima | March 15

Khonoma village, known for its rich agricultural heritage, made another stride today by hosting the first of its kind in Nagaland garlic festival on March 14.

Chümerie (Garlic) Festival 2025 brought together farmers, agricultural experts, policymakers, and community leaders to the village to explore ways and means to enhance garlic farming.

It was held under the aegis of Khonoma Women Union (KWU) and sponsored by Women Resource Development under MYKI Village Adoption Initiative and co-sponsored by the State’s Horticulture and Agriculture departments.

The festival received a positive response from many visitors.

Gracing the festival at Terhuotsiese in Khonoma, State Rural Development Minister Metsübo Jamir emphasised the importance of rural development initiatives and the promotion of local agricultural products through the Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM).

The NSRLM works in 1,260 villages under 74 RD Blocks with the aim of creating effective and efficient institutional platforms to enable the rural poor to increase their household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and better access to financial services, he informed.

Jamir also highlighted that processing and preservation are crucial in ensuring that farmers get the best value for their produce. He commended Khonoma for maintaining traditional and sustainable agricultural practices, stressing that sustainable farming is key to long-term rural prosperity.

The RD Minister also exhorted the youth to shift their focus from government jobs to skill-based sustainability, underscoring the need for skill development training to enhance self-reliance and economic growth.

He announced plans to set up a garlic processing unit in Khonoma to support market linkages. Additionally, he assured a mobile vehicle from the RD department to facilitate the transportation of agricultural products in the village and pledged convergence with the horticulture and agriculture departments through NSRLM initiatives.

Significant economic potential
Also addressing the occasion, Women Resource Development Commissioner & Secretary Zhothisa Dawhuo maintained that the garlic festival at Khonoma serves as a testament to the remarkable strides made under the MYKI Village Adoption Initiative of the department, a programme designed to drive economic empowerment, promote self-reliance, and encourage sustainable agricultural practices within rural communities.

Khonoma village, renowned for its resilience, cultural heritage, and exemplary environmental conservation efforts, is also conducive to garlic cultivation and has been rightfully chosen as the pilot location for the “One Village, One Product (ODOP)” initiative, he said.

This aligns seamlessly with the broader ODOP policy aimed at fostering economic growth and self-sufficiency by enabling villages to focus on the large-scale production of a high-value agricultural commodity, thereby enhancing market competitiveness and productivity, he added.

As part of the initiative, seed money of Rs. 30,000 has been extended to 30 dedicated women farmers, providing them with the means to undertake extensive garlic cultivation, Dawhuo informed.

Women have always played an indispensable role in agricultural development, and this initiative is a resounding affirmation of their invaluable contribution to rural economies, he maintained.

Further noting that garlic is an essential culinary ingredient and a highly lucrative cash crop, he said that with focused cultivation of the crop, the people of Khonoma are not only securing their livelihoods but are also making substantial contributions to the overarching agricultural economy.

The success of this initiative will serve as a model for other villages, inspiring widespread adoption of similar agricultural development strategies, Dawhuo said, describing the festival as more than just a celebration of agricultural success but a tribute to “diligence, collaboration, and a vision for a prosperous future.”

He also expressed confidence that Khonoma will emerge as a leading garlic-producing village, setting a benchmark for agricultural excellence across the region and beyond in the future.

Village’s biggest cash crop
In her keynote address, Sieno Sakhrie, President of KWU, said that the idea of the garlic festival is to celebrate all things associated with the flowering vegetable, from its flavour to its health benefits, and most importantly, to appreciate the unseen efforts of the farmers.

Maintaining that Khonoma village is blessed with suitable weather conditions for growing the vegetable, she added: “Garlic is our biggest cash crop, with Khonoma supplying a huge percentage of the market in Nagaland.”

Nagaland’s Horticulture Director Dr Meyasashi and Joint Director of the Directorate of Agriculture Medovilie Ladu also spoke on the occasion and assured assistance to the farmers in taking the festival forward.

Women Resource Development & Horticulture Minister Salhoutuonuo Kruse also graced the festival.

The programme was chaired by Vibizono Chase with Vimesano Meyase and Rajuselie Chücha as comperes. Rev. Tsolie Chase invoked God’s blessings while vote of thanks was proposed by Kekhrieno Mor, Member, Nagaland State Commission for Women.