TURA: As many as 200 families from 14 villages under Rongram block have joined hands to be part of a project that aims to boost fruit production and nutritional security in Garo Hills while celebrating World Environment Day, on Friday.
Tura MP Agatha K Sangma inaugurated the Integrated Tribal Development Project at Babadham village under Rongram block in the presence of North Tura legislator Thomas A Sangma and BAKDIL director Fr. Sunny Mavelil and a host of invited guests including Auxiliary Bishop of Tura Fr. CJ Jose.
The ITDP project which is funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will be implemented by the Garo Hills-based NGO BAKDIL through its various women self-help groups.
The Rs 1.6-crore project will be implemented within a time span of six years during which the plantations will begin bearing fruit.
Extending her support to the project, Agatha told the gathering of women SHG members that it would empower them financially.
“This lockdown has taught us a very valuable lesson — the need to be self reliant. This project is one such opportunity for all of us to become self reliant,” said the Lok Sabha MP from Tura.
Agatha added that the community support often rendered in times of need was a shining example of the state’s uniqueness.
“During this crisis we have witnessed how communities have come together to set up quarantine centres and provide food to the returnees. This is one of the gifts that Meghalaya stands out for,” she remarked.
Under the project, a family with 1.5 acre of empty land is eligible to join a SHG and farmers’ club through which they will be trained and cash supported for plantation of fruit bearing trees such as mangos, gooseberry, tamarind and jackfruit, among other varieties. Once the trees bear fruit the harvest will be directly procured from the farmers and processed in a local unit before being exported.
Adviser to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and North Tura MLA Thomas A Sangma pointed out that the move towards mass plantation of fruit bearing trees would result in Garo Hills becoming an exporter of nutritious and organic produce to other states in a few years’ time.
“Only recently the western world, particularly the USA, has discovered that jackfruit is a good supplement for meat as it contains high fiber and multiple vitamins and demand for it is growing. Here in Garo Hills we have abundance of the fruit and we ought to look at ways to exporting this exotic fruit which has been native to our region since ancient times,” he said.
Fr. Jose pointed out that the only way for Garo Hills to progress is to save the environment by planting more trees and preserving nature.
Fr. Sunny informed the gathering that their NGO has placed a target of Rs 20,000 monthly income for every family by 2025-26.
He revealed that this success story would be replicated across the Garo Hills region wherever women SHGs are present.
Rongram BDO, S Ch Momin also spoke about the abandoned crop fields, particularly the many hillocks once used for jhum cultivation.
She suggested rejuvenation of the abandoned fields by starting bamboo plantations which would help retain the soil and moisture content.
To celebrate the start of the ITDP project, the first saplings of fruit bearing trees, particularly mango and orange were planted on selected plots inside Kemragre and Urienggre villages of Babadam by the invited guests and SHG members.
