SILCHAR, June 25 - A small cart van outside the Bishop�s House in Sonai Road area here turned into a major source of attraction for people on Saturday as farmers from Cachar district came up to buy organically-produced fruits and vegetables.
Dipa Das, coordinator of project Farm North East supported by the New Delhi-based Caritas India informed that this effort was part of the day-long Kisan Mela aimed to facilitate agricultural regeneration measures in the North East in association with Misereor Germany and Seva Kendra Silchar.
Over 50 farmers from different places of the district and also from Hailakandi district were seen selling their organically-produced vegetables fruits and even artifacts. Handing over the products in paper bags, farmers also appealed to the people to discard plastics and save environment.
Noted social activist Kanad Purakayastha who attended the event, motivated the farmers urging them to put up stalls at important corners of the city on a regular basis.
�The effort taken by the NGOs and Seva Kendra is commendable in propagating the need for enhancing organic farming. The stalls should be put up at important parts of the city which shall attract more people to buy the kitchen garden produce,� he said.
Dipen Chandra Nath, subject specialist in soil science at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Cachar spoke on the finer prospects of organic farming in Cachar. �The district has an impressive prospect for organic farming and regular training of the farmers shall encourage them in adopting the mode of farming. Farmers can cultivate crops within one hectare of land and maximise their production subsequently,� Nath mentioned.
Talking about obtaining the certificate for organic farming, Nath referred to the chores done by Nilom Dutta, a farmer from Biswanath Chariali who has been persisting with organic methods of agriculture.
Meanwhile, Abhijit Bhattacharjee, adviser to the Seva Kendra mentioned that so far the project has covered 479 families across 10 villages of the district with agricultural regeneration activities and over 200 kitchen gardens have been promoted.
Social activist Pappu Deb Roy, Sister Shirley from Seva Kendra were amongst others attending the kisan mela.
