Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 28:
For the first time in Manipur to allow full participation of women in the agricultural activities, the State Directorate
of Agriculture is all set to adopt a new pattern of agriculture and implemented the same in Bishnupur district.
Starting from the
next cultivation season, the project would be taken over an area of 800 paris of land in Bishnupur district with the main
objective of setting up model villages.
The womenfolk of the district would be encouraged to set up societies among themselves
for the implementation of the project and the Agriculture Department would be provided all the required materials right from
the stage of planting of paddy saplings to harvesting of the crops.
Moreover, experts from Central Agriculture University,
Imphal and Indian Council of Agriculture Research, Lamphelpat would be imparting necessary training to the women besides
direct monitoring the progress of the work.
The variety of paddy sapling to be provided under the project is IR-64 and after harvesting of the crop, the Department of Agriculture would also procure the product.
The only condition that the Department has placed on the societies which would be implementing the project is to bear the expenditure on ploughing, plantation, weeding and harvesting of the crop.
To ensure successful implementation of the project to be implemented under the supervision of the Agriculture Minister,
AO Chemistry of Agriculture Department along with around 30 members of Maibam Lokpa Women Farmers' Society have already
conducted soil testing at Kakcheng Loukon Maibam Chingmang in Bishnupur district.
AO Chemistry has informed that the
responsibility of cultivating over an area of 50 paris of land in the said Loukon would be handed to women farmers.
Later on,
the soil samples from Nambol Makha Leikai along with members of Panthoibi Women Farmers' Society.