LEDUM, Feb 13: A day-long ‘Mithun mela cum technology awareness programme’ was organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – National Research Centre on Mithun (ICAR-NRC on Mithun) from Nagaland in cooperation with the Veterinary & A H department and village authority here in East Siang district on Tuesday.
Four hundred farmers attended the mela and over hundred mithuns were vaccinated against foot and mouth disease and black quarter disease.
The villagers put up several stalls to display their products, while ICAR-NRC on Mithun displayed its technologies and package of practices during the programme.
Cash prizes and certificates were given to the winners of best mithun bulls, mithun cows and mithun heifer competitions.
Earlier, MLA Tatung Jamoh, in his inaugural address, urged the farmers to adopt scientific rearing of mithuns for more profit. He appreciated the gaon burahs for motivating the farmers to bring a large number of mithuns to the mela and also lauded the efforts of ICAR-NRC on Mithun in popularizing the scientific rearing of mithun by organizing such an event for the third time in the area.
Similar awareness programmes were held in Takelalung and Miren villages of the district.
Earlier, ICAR-NRCM Director Dr Abhijit Mitra informed the gathering about the several initiatives of the institute towards popularizing scientific rearing of mithun and its conservation.
Dr Mitra stressed on the need for use of improved mithun bulls as well as the exchange of bulls with neighbouring villages to avoid inbreeding.
During the scientist-farmer interacting session in the afternoon, the need of regular vaccination, supplementation with the mineral mixture, use of good bulls and conservation of the biggest bulls for breeding purpose, diversified use of mithun as a source of meat, milk and leather as well draft were elaborated.
Among others, former director of education department, Tapong Taloh, Pasighat DVO Dr Taggo, Bilet Circle Officer Oni Padun and Ledum village Gaon Burah Tayam Dupak attended the programme.
Notably, Ledum is one of the cleanest villages in the district with 112 households and a population of a little over 500.
It is one of the high-density mithun population villages in the districts with people mostly depending on mithun farming as a viable economic activity, an official release stated.
