First Banana Festival 2025 launched in Wokha

The much-anticipated first edition of the Banana Festival 2025 commenced on Wednesday at the Public Ground, Wokha, under the theme “Banana for Food, Fibre and Future.”
The 3-day event, which will conclude on October 24, aims to empower more than 6,000 farmers across Nagaland by promoting agricultural innovation, strengthening market linkages, and encouraging collaboration among farmers, entrepreneurs, and researchers.
Deputy chief minister, in-charge of Planning & Transformation and National Highways, T.R. Zeliang, inaugurated the festival as the special guest. Other guests included- minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change C.L. John, minister for Women Resource Development Salhoutuonuo Kruse, and Advisor for Water Resources Tongpang Ozukum. Deputy chief minister, in-charge for Home & Border Affairs Y Patton was the chief host, while advisor for Agriculture Mhathung Yanthan and Y. Mhonbemo Humtsoe, MLA were co-hosts.
Addressing the inaugural programme of the Banana Festival 2025, T.R. Zeliang, lauded the organisers for their visionary initiative aimed at empowering farmers and strengthening the rural economy.
He said the festival serves as a vital platform to connect producers and consumers, promote entrepreneurship, and create employment opportunities for youth.
Zeliang urged farmers to focus on value addition by producing banana-based products such as chips and other by-products to access markets beyond the state. He also touched on the human-elephant conflict, expressing hope that a collective approach would lead to an amicable resolution.
Y Patton, described Wokha as the “land of plenty” and stressed the festival’s role in uniting all stakeholders to boost the rural economy.
Earlier, delivering the keynote address, deputy commissioner Wokha Vineet Kumar, said the festival aligns with the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative and showcases Wokha’s potential in agricultural innovation, technology adoption, and market expansion.
A major highlight of the inaugural programme was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Wokha District Administration and three premier national research institutions – the ICAR–National Research Centre for Banana (Tamil Nadu), the Institute of Bioresource and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal, and the CSIR–North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST), Jorhat.
The MoU seeks to foster long-term collaboration in technological innovation, scientific farming, circular economy promotion, and farmer training. It will also focus on sustainable practices, post-harvest management, and market integration to ensure that banana cultivation becomes a key driver of rural livelihood and economic growth in Nagaland.
The event also witnessed the launch of the local brand Yuthi Delights, the Banana Growers Network, Banana Chocolate, and release of information brochures by KVK-Wokha and the Lotha dialect team.
Nrung Longidang village cultural troupe performed traditional songs and dances, while activities such as the banana eating and banana salad making competitions entertained visitors and participants alike.
After the inaugural programme, a national workshop on Banana Plantation, Production, Value Addition and Marketing was held at Lotha Hoho Ki, Wokha.