As part of Zizira's effort at 'getting to know the agricultural and other livelihood imporvement potentials of Meghalaya', a team of three visited the office of the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA), Shillong and met with its Director, Mr Aiban Swer, in mid-September 2015.
Bestarwell Shadap Nongkynrih is a second generation farmer who grows organic pineapples on his two-acre farm in the Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya. He was orphaned when he was about 6 months old and considers himself lucky to have had family support till he grew up to fend for himself and his sister as a farmer. His life is now, the organic pineapple farm that he tends. Here is Bestarwell holding a freshly harvested organic pineapple from his farm in Shangbangla. Taking care of a two-acre tract of land in the hilly terrains of Meghalaya, that too tending to pineapple plants, which need lots of weeding and care is not easy! Yet, Bestarwell seems to be doing really well.
Mr. Canning Shabong is passionate about agriculture and not just because he is a senior officer in the Department of Agriculture with over 20 years of experience in this field. There seems to be a further calling, which is evident when you read his informative blog posts on the GOM website.
You may have read our post on high curcumin turmeric that is exclusive to Meghalaya called Lakadong Turmeric. There is a growing demand for curcumin (the pigment in turmeric that has health benefits) and hence for high curcumin turmeric. Interestingly Lakadong turmeric is grown only in a small region in the state of Meghalaya.
How does it feel to be sitting on a gold mine and not being able to get the benefit of the gold? Not a good feeling, surely. The turmeric farmers of Meghalaya are facing similar worries as their curcumin-rich turmeric harvests fail to get the buyers and the price they should.
Over 80% of the population of Meghalaya depend on agriculture and most of them own small family farms and follow traditional farming methods. A good irrigation system is an imperative for successful farming.
What are heirloom seeds? How are they different from Hybrid seeds? Can the seeds that the Meghalaya farmers use, from one crop to the next, be classified as heirloom? These were the questions Zizira explorers had. How come the Zizira explorers thought of heirloom seeds?
Times are difficult for job seekers. Like other states, Meghalaya too is teeming with youngsters looking for employment. At times, many youth are forced to take up jobs at levels below what they could get with their qualifications. In this scenario, the one portal of hope is entrepreneurship, and private enterprise holds promise for people who dare. Here is the story of Kong Iba Blah, mother of two, who has dared to venture into beekeeping.
Zizira explorers love to go out on field trips to various parts of Meghalaya to meet farmers and discover the hidden agricultural potential of the region. On one of the many farm visits that we made, led us to a lady farmer from Nongpoh, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya. From her we learnt about mushroom cultivation in Meghalaya.
Autumn in Meghalaya is a happening time, much to tourists’ delight. The last few weeks of balmy weather before Christmas makes it more inviting. The autumn of 2016 was extra special in Shillong! The city hosted the first ever Cherry Blossom festival in India. Hearing about it made the Zizira explorers want to find out more.