[Prafulla Kaman]
RUKSIN, 6 Jun: Jiten Taying is a progressive farmer from Ngorlung village in East Siang district. He grows cash crops, including rubber and bamboo, on a commercial basis.
Taying, who preferred to not do a government job in the agriculture department as a field worker, started the rubber and bamboo plantations at Tamang Paatang site in lower Ngorlung, on the bank of the Ruksin river, in 1995.
Later on, he started khokan, palm oil, agar, chandan and arecanut plantations in 10 hectares of land. He also grows spices and vegetables.
Two years later, the 55-year-old farmer developed four fish ponds.
Taying says he does not have any formal training or education in fish farming. “I have no formal education in fish farming. I got inspiration from a friend in Assam, who maintains a number of fish ponds, to take up pisciculture,” he said.
Taying has engaged two families to look after his fish ponds and the farm. Presently, his fish farm produces three to four quintals of fishes, and he earns Rs 5-6 lakhs per year.
He also earns a good amount from the rubber plants, spices and bamboos.
“I earned Rs 50,000 from spices and vegetables last year,” he said.
“I am trying to utilize the bad times of Covid lockdown for income-generation activities. I appeal to the state government to encourage us to achieve more in this sector,” Taying said.
Taying advises the local unemployed youths to engage themselves in horticulture and agricultural activities for self-reliance, instead of spoiling their valuable time and energy in search of government jobs.
