In a significant step towards advancing sustainable organic agriculture in Northeast India, North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, has organized an Organic Festival cum Exhibition during 6-7March 2026 at Sarokri, Rukminigaon, Guwahati, under the project entitled “Promoting Scientific Organic Agriculture in North East India” PM-DevINE scheme supported by Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER), Govt. of India.
The programme was graced by Shri Chanchal Kumar, IAS, Secretary to the Ministry of DoNER, Govt. of India, as the Chief Guest, along with the Guest of Honour, Shri. Satinder Kumar Bhalla, ITS, Secretary, North Eastern Council, Meghalaya, Prof. (Dr.) Bidyut Chandan Deka, Vice Chancellor, Assam Agricultural University, in the presence of Director General, NECTAR, Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma, and other dignitaries. The theme centering around ‘Building Resilient Organic Ecosystems: From Healthy Soil to Healthy Lives’, the event showcased bringing together farmers across North Eastern States, policy makers, stakeholders, scientists, and entrepreneurs from diverse fields to a common platform to explore better market avenues for farmers. This two-day festival mainly involved technical sessions by stakeholders, encourage buyer-seller interaction, as well as the display and selling of various organic certified products (PGS Green-I) from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland for buyers.
The main objective of this project was to create 250 organic certified clusters that focus on a scientific approach to organic farming in the Northeast region, laying a strong foundation for long-term agricultural sustainability, improved farmer livelihoods, and ecological conservation. It also aims to target 25,000 farmers in 250 clusters, focusing on capacity building in scientific organic farming, land certification under the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), and digital monitoring of farm fields. Under the project, significant progress has been achieved in farmers’ training, establishment of Demo Farm Labs, manufacture and distribution of Vasundhara Soil Organic Carbon Detection Kits (technology from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai), distribution of organic seeds, creation of community seed banks to preserve the local landraces and smartphones to beneficiaries to create a digital architecture. At present, 7,252.43 hectares have been certified under PGS Green-I certification, covering 22,526 farmers across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. Innovative technologies like IoT and Blockchain would be introduced to increase the yield of the crop and reduce the crop cycle. For the creation of better livelihood opportunities and market outreach, the setting up of organic outlets at suitable locations has also been facilitated through this project. The outcome of this project is to create strong market linkages directly to the farmers for certified organic produce.
Following the inaugural session of the Organic Festival, Shri Chanchal Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of DoNER, accompanied by Shri Satinder Kumar Bhalla, Secretary, North Eastern Council; Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma, Director General, NECTAR; and other dignitaries, visited the Ri-Bhoi Common Facility Centre (CFC) at Umsiang Village, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya. The Centre is one of 12 CFCs being established across Northeast India under the PM-DevINE supported project titled “A Value Chain on Utilization of Banana Pseudo Stem for Value-Added Products,” funded by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and implemented by NECTAR.
During the visit, around 20 local farmers, 10 village heads, along with the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) and Additional Superintendent of Police (Addl. SP) of Ri-Bhoi district were present. The visiting dignitaries were given a comprehensive demonstration of the production line, including banana fibre extraction, organic liquid fertilizer production, composting unit, and other value-added processes. The functioning of the machinery was showcased in detail, highlighting how banana pseudostem, traditionally treated as agricultural waste, is being converted into economically viable products under a zero-waste circular model.
The presence of the Secretary, MDoNER, and other senior officials served as a strong morale booster for the local farming community and stakeholders. Interactions held during the visit encouraged farmers to actively participate in value-addition activities and adopt sustainable agro-industrial practices. The dignitaries appreciated the initiative as a model of integrated rural entrepreneurship that not only addresses waste management but also creates sustainable livelihood opportunities at the grassroots level. The visit reinforced confidence among the local community and demonstrated the Government’s commitment to strengthening decentralized agro-based industries in the Northeast region.
