Guwahati: State agriculture production commissioner Y Kikheto Sema announced the establishment of high-tech soil testing laboratories in 11 districts of Nagaland on Tuesday.
Sema stated that the state administration will write to the federal government to request that such laboratories be established in the remaining five newly constituted districts.
Sema made the remarks while speaking at the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) stakeholders conference at Jharnapani, in the newly formed Chumukedima district.
He asked the agriculture and allied departments, as well as ICAR, to come up with novel ideas, as well as to maintain their passion and commitment to the farming community.
According to Sema, the livestock and farmer yield in the state have been severely impacted in recent years due to drought-like conditions, the fall armyworm attack, African swine flu, and the Covid-19 pandemic.
He emphasised the need for multi-cropping alongside paddy in light of the state’s variable rainfall pattern.
He further claimed that even if one crop fails, one can profit from the output of other crops.
He also emphasised the need for water conservation and the Naga model integrated farming system, which brings together all agro and allied departments in a cluster for long-term sustainability.
Sema stated that two biofertilizer facilities have already been established in two districts of the state and that he planned to receive approval from the Centre for the establishment of similar plants in the remaining districts this fiscal year.
He also stated that weather stations have been set up in all Krishi Vigyan Kendra districts to provide real-time advance weather information.
The first of these weather stations will be operational next week.
Sema emphasised the state’s initiative on the importance of digital agriculture, in which it wants to use a drone to collect real-time data in order to see and respond to the fall armyworm invasion, as well as drop bio-fertilizers to specific regions for better cultivation.