Nagaland University organises banana fibre training for farmers

Nagaland University, Medziphema campus, organised a 10-day farmers’ training programme on “Extraction and Value Addition of Non-Conventional Banana Fibre” under the Science & Technology Intervention in North Eastern Region (STINER) project, funded by ICAR–National Institute of Natural Fiber Engineering and Technology (NINFET), Kolkata. The programme, inaugurated on February 4, aims to empower Naga farmers with innovative and eco-friendly agricultural practices.
According to Peter Ki, PRO Nagaland University, this is the second in a series of five training programmes approved under the project to scale up sustainable innovations for rural communities.The inaugural programme was graced by Prof.
Dipak Sinha, pro vice-chancellor, Medziphema campus, who emphasised the importance of adopting sustainable technologies to uplift rural farmers.
He also suggested incorporating success stories from earlier training programmes for the benefit of participants.
Principal Investigator (PI), Prof. Khan Chand, department of Agricultural Engineering, SAS, NU, provided an overview of the project and explained the benefits of banana fibre as an eco-friendly resource.
Drawing from his experience in food processing, he elaborated on the journey of banana fibre from extraction to marketable products.
The interactive session highlighted banana fibre’s potential as a green alternative for industries, encouraging farmers to acquire innovative skills for economic upliftment.
The project also involves Dr. V.B. Shabhu (PI), ICAR-NINFET Kolkata, along with Co-PIs Prof. Akali Sema, Prof. L. Tongpang, Prof. A.K. Verma, Dr. Chitrasen L. and Dr. Prabhakar Singh from SAS, NU.
20 farmers participated in the inaugural session, including eight from Choklangan village (Noklak district) and 12 from Sirhima village (Chümoukedima district). They will undergo hands-on training on efficient fibre extraction and conversion of banana fibre into saleable products. The initiative is expected to boost value addition in sustainable agriculture and open alternative livelihood opportunities, helping farmers diversify income streams amid changing market demands.