Organic Value Chain Development

Background

The locally available sticky rice in the district of Namsai, popularly known as Khamti rice is popular for its delicious taste, along with its adaptability to local conditions. It is an indigenous variety of rice with distinctive features different from other varieties of rice.

Intervention

In order to enhance its productivity, and to promote its commercial production, farmers are being encouraged to grow Khamti rice as an organic crop under Mission Organic Value Chain Development (MOVCD). MOVCD, a central sector scheme, was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in the North Eastern Region. It aims to develop certified organic production in a value chain mode in order to link the farmer with the consumer. The initiative supports the development of the entire process: starting from inputs, seeds, certification, to the centre of facilities for collection, segregation, processing, marketing and branding initiative.

A District Level Executive Committee (DLEC) under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner was formed to oversee the implementation process and monitoring on a regular basis. In its first meeting, DLEC identified the suitable area: Chowkham Circle covering 15 contiguous villages.

Under the scheme, 500 hectares of land had been identified and selected through GPS mapping for cultivation of the crop. Cultivation was carried under PPP model. Cultivation of paddy started with the land preparation for nursery sowing from the last week of April 2017 to the first week of May 2017. Thereafter, sowing of paddy in the nursery was done between June and July 2017. Demonstrations on organic seed treatment and timely liming of paddy fields were conducted in farmers’ fields. Transplantation of paddy seedlings to the main field was carried out between July and August 2017. Harvesting of paddy crop started from the second week of November 2017.

Impact

The villagers of the area, particularly the farmers involved in the MOVCD Scheme have realised the importance of new organic way of farming, which is different from their present way of farming. They have also become aware about the organic product in the market and the economic return from this kind of products through FPO.

The results show less investment compared to commercial farming of High Yielding Varieties thus lowering the cost of production. Many farmers in other commodity like, ginger, broiler, tea etc. are showing interest in this type of approach.

Source : NITI Aayog - Aspirational Districts