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Shillong, 1st June 2023: Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, today, flagged off the Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles at MAMETI, Upper Shillong, in the presence of Minister, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Isawanda Laloo and officials from the Agriculture department.

Speaking during the launch, Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma commended the Agriculture department that has in the last few years with better technology and improved infrastructure given a growth structure and support system to farmers thereby increasing their income. “About 80 percent of our people are in the farming sector therefore it is important that our farmers are supported hence many programs have been initiated by the government to this end,” he said.

Highlighting the employability aspect of Agriculture and Food Sector the Chief Minister said that around 50000 youth enter the work force every in the State and government and private sectors are the two areas where they can be employed while roughly around 3000 are absorbed in the government sector while the rest have to seek employment in the private sector. “In the private sector we have to look at Agriculture, Food Processing, Tourism and the Service Sector as the key areas for employment failing which we will not be able to provide job opportunities to our youth,” he added. He further added that for the private sector to grow there has to be a right environment in the State. “While we are trying to boost the growth of private sector in the State, Agriculture and Food Processing plays a vital role to ensure that we are able to provide economic benefits to the people and create the employment that is required,” he said.

The Chief Minister also informed that an additional fleet of 200 Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles will be distributed in the next phase.

Under the Prime Agri Response Vehicles, 200 vehicles will be distributed to cooperative societies, Self Help Groups, Farmers Producer Organizations and individuals on 50 percent subsidy on on-road cost of the vehicle. The scheme is intended for rural population who are remotely connected bridging the transportation gaps while providing livelihood opportunities to the rural population. 20 Prime ARVs were flagged off during the occasion and the keys handed to different Integrated Village Cooperative Societies from Khasi and Jaintia Hills.

A number of Agriculture-Farming apps namely, CROPSAP, Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project, a collection of WEB and Mobile application for Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project Management System, Horticulture Hub MIS application for managing the daily activities such as sale, farmers’ trainings, generating sales and receipts, reports and managing availability of stocks, MEGAMB, Meghalaya State Agriculture Marketing Board, Meghalaya Farmer App and the MAMETI website were launched during the occasion.

Initiatives : Agriculture

Launch of “Restart Meghalaya Mission’ on 15th August 2020

The Mission comprise of a series of interventions to support farmers and entrepreneurs by enabling them to build growth-promoting basic infrastructure and services. Under this Mission, 1917iTEAMS – the IT Platform aimed at enabling farmers access to agricultural information, crop advisories and markets will be expanded logistically through induction of another 100 vehicles.

Creation of the Directorate of Food Processing on May 2018

With the objective of seizing opportunities in the sector and the untapped food processing potential of the state for uplifting the livelihoods of farmers and value chain actors, the Government of Meghalaya created the Directorate of Food Processing (DFP) as a one-stop agency to handle all matters relating to food processing in the state and to deal with all central government Ministries and Agencies (viz. Ministries of Agriculture, and Food Processing, SFAC, NCDC, NABARD, etc.) in all matters pertaining to the development of agricultural food processing sector.

First Ever Farmer’s Parliament held on 4th - 5th December 2018

The parliament was organised by the state department of agriculture in collaboration with Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) and the Hill Farmers' Union (HFU). As a step toward the promotion of new technologies, HFU with the support of Meghalaya government, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence App for farmers — called Nongrep (nongrep in Khasi language means farmer) with its software partner Impetus Solutions from Hyderabad — as a social innovation project. This app will address matters of farm aggregations, soil health and disease identification, crop yield, farm produce pickups, market linkage and retail sellers app.

Launch of the Farmer’s Portal on 7th May 2018

The Meghalaya Famers’ Portal (www.megfarmers.gov.in) of the Department of Agriculture is a platform for farmers to seek any information related to agriculture. Detailed information on farmers’ insurance, agricultural storage, crops, extension activities, seeds, pesticides, farm machineries, etc. is provided. Details of fertilizers, market prices, package and practices, programmes, welfare schemes are also given.

Awards & Recognitions
  • Meghalaya has been selected for the Commendation award in 'Total foodgrains Category-III' for 2017-18. The award consists of a citation and an amount of Rs. 1 crore.
  • Meghalaya Agriculture Department and the MIE Meghalaya Team won the '7th eNabling North East (eNorth East) Award 2019-20' in the 'Agriculture & Rural Development' category for 1917 iTEAMS project which is a project in collaboration with Digital India.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi awarded Meghalaya on May 2018 the Krishi Commendation Award for the year 2015-16, in recognition of the commendable foodgrains production achieved by the State.
  • Meghalaya has been adjudged the Most Improved Small State in the category of Agriculture and received the India Today – "The State of the States” Award on 23rd November 2018.