PASIGHAT, 19 Feb: As many as 120 buckwheat and other potential crops growing farmers participated in a workshop themed ‘Importance of cultivation of potential crops under foothill of Arunachal Pradesh-cum-input distribution under NEH and TSP component’, organised by the College of Horticulture & Forestry (CHF) here in East Siang district on Monday.
Addressing the participants, Deputy Commissioner Tayi Taggu, who along with farmer leader Dunggali Libang attended the programme, said that “potential crops have been grown by farmers of Arunachal Pradesh since ages, but they are not aware of the health benefits of such crops,” the CHF informed in a release, adding that the DC urged the farmers to adopt scientific methods “and improve varieties for better production.”
Libang in his address advised the farmers to “use proper ways of cultivation,” adding that “we can add these potential crops to our daily diet, so that we can get more economic and health benefits.”
Imphal (Manipur)-based CAU Director Dr LM Garanayak highlighted “the research achievements in releasing improved varieties of buckwheat,” and said that “buckwheat is one of the very nutritious crops which can be grown with zero budget in Arunachal Pradesh, and may give more return to the growers.”
“He also visited the experimental field of buckwheat, faba bean, job’s tears and other potential crops at the CHF,” the release stated.
Principal investigator Prof P Debnath highlighted the “superiority of buckwheat over other major cereal crops such as rice, wheat, maize, etc, in terms of nutrients and nutraceutical properties,” and spoke about developing a storage facility for buckwheat at the college, the release added.
CHF Dean Prof BN Hazarika and College of Agriculture Dean (i/c) Dr SK Pattanaaik said that “buckwheat is now categorised as a potential crop by researches, owing to its nutritive value and health benefits,” the release said.
Buckwheat cultivators Karik Tayeng, T Riba, Obang Darang, Tularam Upadhaya, and Mohan Sahini encouraged their fellow farmers to “start scientific cultivation of the crop to fetch higher returns with little initial investment,” the CHF informed.
Agricultural inputs like certified buckwheat seed, knapsack sprayers, spades, vermibeds, vermicompost, and biopesticies were distributed among the farmers by the DC and Libang.
