Vegetable Cultivation in Meghalaya Under HMNEH
Intervention of HMNEH scheme has once again proved an impact on the beneficiaries selected under Mawphlang Development Block. The efficacy of this scheme has brought changes in the mindset of many poor farmers who have responded positively thereby changing the entire socio-economic status of the people in the area. Once again, the office of the Horticulture Development Officer, Mawphlang Development block portrays the success of vegetable cultivation through the beneficiary Smt. Tiansina Sun of Mawngap village.
Over the years, Tiansina was like any other farmers prior to the intervention of the HMNEH Scheme, where she could concentrate her agriculture enterprise by growing bits and pieces of different kinds of both agriculture and horticulture crops, but it was her sincere effort that made her as one of the promising vegetable grower in the area. The implementing agency without any doubt selected Tiansina Sun as one of the beneficiary under HMNEH scheme, to take up “Pea cultivation” in commercial scale. As per the technical advice that she received from Departmental officers, she decided to grow both the improved and local varieties of pea. Capitalising on the demand of local variety (Cherrapunjee Pea) of pea seeds in the district, she managed to grow abundantly and managed to sell the surplus seeds at Rs 400/per kg. This has resulted in the increase of her net income in multitude ways where she desires to extent her area of seed production in the years to come.
The beneficiary got the opportunity to attend various training programmes organized by the Department. She often expressed that the commitment made by the officer and staffs in charge of the area in hand holding her to understand the various cultural practices, technical support has enabled to strengthen her level of understanding the modern concepts.
When enquired about the cost benefit of pea cultivation, Tiansina expressed that apart from the input support like Seeds, FYM, plant protection chemicals etc that she obtained from the scheme, her major contribution comprised mainly in the labour component.
Her farm records revealed that the overall expenditure right from land preparation to harvesting is ` 97,500. Considering all aspects, she finally managed to arrive at the point where her pea cultivation has produced a remarkable profit of ` 3,02,500/-. The success inspired her for further expansion of area under Pea and a great challenge to her other fellow farmers of the area.