Correspondent
MOKOKCHUNG, MAY 7 (NPN): The 5th edition of the Cucumber Festival was held on May 7 at Aliba village in Mokokchung. Director of Agriculture and SNO ATMA, Sanuzo Neinu, attended the programme as the special guest.
Speaking at the event, Neinu said the festival was not only a celebration of cucumber farming but also a celebration of the hard work, innovation and unity of the people. He said Aliba village had shown the state how determination and teamwork could bring success, adding that what started as an experiment had now become a successful model of off-season cucumber cultivation.
The director also paid tribute to the pioneers of the initiative, especially late Buremba Pongen, whose vision and hard work laid the foundation for the success being celebrated today. He said the legacy of the pioneer continues through farmers who keep improving and adapting their farming practices.
Neinu encouraged farmers to improve their farming systems by following good agricultural practices such as proper soil management, quality seed selection and treatment, timely irrigation and the use of improved farming methods.
He also urged farmers to adopt organic and natural farming methods by reducing the use of external inputs to lower cultivation costs and produce healthier crops. He suggested branding farm products as “Organic,” “Natural,” or “Chemical Free” to attract better markets and higher prices.
The director further spoke on ways to strengthen farming communities by expanding the successful Aliba model to other villages in Nagaland. He suggested developing “Aliba cucumber” as a unique brand through proper packaging and processing, exploring digital and urban markets, encouraging youth to take up agri-entrepreneurship and adopting water conservation and soil health practices. He said that if these steps were followed, Aliba could become a model agricultural hub for the region and inspire other villages across the state.
Earlier in the program, the welcome address was delivered by Aliba Village Council. Short speeches were delivered by Limanenla NCS, joint secrety. Agriculture, government of Nagaland, Dr. Lanunochetla district agriculture officer Mokokchung and Kakhihe Sumi additional director Tourism department.