Five-day seed testing training programme inaugurated in Manipur

Manipur's Deputy Chief Minister, Yumnam Joykumar Singh, today inaugurated a five-day-long special national training programme on advancement of seed testing at the ICAR research complex for the north eastern region here.

In his address, the deputy chief minister said that development of agriculture and horticulture i.e.overall development of primary sector in the state is important to generate self-sustained productivity and revenue resources.

He said that while the state has the potential to generate revenue resources in some sectors like tourism and healthcare, the most important is the development of the primary sector.

Problems and methodology in terms of agriculture in Manipur are different from that of the mainland.

Although, the state has adequate rainfall, there is the need to provide proper irrigation facilities so as to enable the farmers to grow crops successfully thereby increasing productivity, he observed.

He further said that as the north eastern region has good climatic conditions, there has to be a certain type of vegetation which suits the food habits of local people.

On seed testing, he said both traditional and mordern methods need to be applied to increase agricultural productivity and ensure the state's economic development.

Manipur's Additional Chief Secretary, Dr.Suhel Akhtar, said, keeping in view the importance of self-dependant food consumption in the state, there has to be an adequate agricultural and horticultural production.

He said that the government alone cannot provide everything. All stakeholders should come together to make the training programme a success.

Dr. S V Ngachan, Director, ICAR Research Complex for the NEH Region said, all north eastern states except Assam are deficient in seeds and ICAR with the help of state agriculture departments has been trying to enhance seed production for many years.

Around 50 trainees from within and outside the state are participating in the training programme which is being organised by ICAR, Research Complex for NEH Region, Manipur Centre along with National Seed Research and Training Centre, Varanasi under the sponsorship of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Department of Agriculture, Manipur.