Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, recently engaged in talks to strategize enhancing farmers’ incomes by bolstering the agri-horti ecosystem in the North Eastern states. The discussions, held in the national capital and led by Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, involved various key officials including the Agriculture Ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim.
The focus of the high-level task force meeting centered on addressing critical gaps in the value chain and market linkages across the North-Eastern Region. Emphasis was placed on leveraging the region’s strengths in agri-horti products, aiming to reduce post-harvest losses and cut down on marketing and logistics costs to benefit farmers. The meeting also highlighted the necessity of identifying and resolving bottlenecks in various segments of the value chain to enhance overall value realization for farmers.
A strategic approach was proposed during the meeting, advocating for the development of a clear roadmap that progresses from foundational interventions to full-scale value chain integration. This blueprint-based strategy involves selecting priority commodities for each state, promoting cluster-based development, and designing short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans with specific targets and investment requirements. The goal is to ensure measurable and sustainable outcomes, strengthen market linkages, and ultimately enhance long-term income prospects for farmers in the North Eastern Region.
