Technical session of the 19th Agricultural Students’ Association Nagaland (ASAN) conference organised by ASAN under the theme “Rejuvenate Agriculture: Leadership building and entrepreneurship” was held at the multipurpose hall, School of Agricultural Sciences (SAS), Medziphema on Thursday with eminent speakers.
Green Caravan, chairman, Richard Belho, emphasized on the underrepresentation of agricultural students, especially among the Nagas, in the realm of entrepreneurship and made a significant point that government jobs shouldn’t be the sole objective and urged students to think creatively and invest effort in exploring the startup ecosystem.
He also pointed out various challenges, such as the lack of proper rural infrastructure, education, network, experience, and efficient resource utilization. Belho advised students to gain experience and expand their networks by connecting with individuals who possess more knowledge and seeking their guidance.
He also dwelt on the vast potential within the field of agriculture, which includes areas like organic inputs (utilizing lactobacillus fermentation), waste management, recycling, enzyme-related projects, composting (both bacterial and fungal), food production, food processing, agro-tourism, agricultural retail, online ventures, seed production, greenhouse technologies (like hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics), agricultural exports and international trade, biotechnology, genetic engineering, farm schools, IMD training institutes, as well as certification and training labs. Belho encouraged students to be passionate and satisfied with the academic path they have chosen.
During the second part of the technical session, the spotlight was on joint director MSME, Taliwati Longchar, who delved deeper into the subject of “MSME schemes in agro-based industries.” Longchar explained the cluster approach employed in MSME and how it was currently being implemented in 11 projects in Nagaland under the guidance of the National Productivity Council (NPC).
He encouraged the audience to engage in critical thinking as he presented the objectives of the MSME scheme and offered insights into the fundamental principles of the programme, along with its international counterparts.
Longchar also stressed on the significance of the MSME scheme in terms of generating employment, fostering the creation of new enterprises, providing access to essential resources (such as loans, raw materials, power, and other supplies), facilitating entry into public sector markets, ensuring access to services that may not be readily available.
Additionally, he introduced students to a range of schemes, including the CGTMSC scheme, CLCS & TU scheme, PMS scheme, IC scheme, ASPIRE scheme, and more.