Govt keen to include Kwatha in organic map
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 09 2022: The state government has begun taking up steps to include Kwatha village, the only Meetei community village in the hills, in the organic map of Manipur.

In this regard, a team of officials of Horticulture and Soil Department paid a visit to the village located in Tengnoupal district on Friday.

The official team led by Hor ticulture and Soil Department deputy director and Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) project director K Devadutta Sharma held talks with the villagers of Kwatha Khullen and Kwatha Khunou and informed them of the government's intention, including how to help improve the income and living condition of the farmers.

The team also inspected the croplands of two villages, while discussing the type of seeds and crops which would be most suitable for cultivation in the area and would be in demand.

The villagers were also informed of the benefits of Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) right from distribution of seeds to marketing of the products.

The team then conveyed that a rural market shed would soon be set up in the village within a month, for which a suitable location was assessed with locals during the visit.

Regarding the trip, Devadutta informed that the department took up the step as per the instruction of CM N Biren Singh.

The main objective of this is to improve the livelihood and living condition of the people of Kwatha by assessing which high-in-de-mand crops would be suitable for growing in the village.

He then stated that the visit has helped in gathering information on the climatic conditions of the village and as such, areca, litchee, cashew nut and haribob (Citrus hystrix, called kaffir lime or makrut lime) would be compatible.

Amongst these, those which are most compatible and in high demand could be grown in 5-hectare of land for the first phase under some schemes, the project director explained.

The villagers have accepted this agreement and the project would be taken up in the upcoming season in the form of community farming.

After this, the villagers would be encouraged to register themselves as organic farmers under MOVCDNER scheme, following which they could start farming at their specified areas.

Devadutta then informed that the fourth phase of MOVCDNER would commence before the end of the financial year 2022-23.Once the fourth phase begins, the government hopes to register all 87 families of Kwatha village and 15 families of Kwatha Khunou as organic farmers and take up all activities associated with organic farming so as to help it obtain the "Organic Certification Village'.

The team consisted of Walnut Development officer, Tengnoupal district; NED representatives, MOMA service providers and staff of Horticulture department.

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