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India’s first ever cucumber festival 2022 kick-starts at Aliba village Nagaland

Cucumber on sale at one of the stalls.
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Powered by ATMA, Mokokchung, horticulture and agriculture departments, Nagaland, DRDA, Self Help Groups (SHGs), and other stake holders, the two day festival will conclude on May 12 at Aliba village.

By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent

Conceptualized as a way to promote cucumber cultivation in Nagaland and perhaps in the entire country, a noble initiative was taken by the Aliba farmers has put Nagaland state in the world map as the village to host the first ever Nagaland cucumber festival at the village ground, Mokokchung.

A pristine village nestled some 16 kilometres away from Mokokokchung town, the host village for the two-day cucumber festival also showcases various exhibits including the off-season cucumbers, ethnic cuisines including farmer-scientist interaction while an angling plan has been lined up at “Dzuvi valley” Aliba village, Mokokchung, as an added attraction.

Powered by ATMA, Mokokchung, horticulture and agriculture departments, Nagaland, DRDA, Self Help Groups (SHGs), and other stake holders, the two day festival will conclude on May 12 at Aliba village.

M Ben Yanthan with other dignitaries after releasing the book on Wednesday

According to member secretary of the organizing committee Temjentola, cucumber cultivation in the village dates back to 1985 when late Burremba Pongen of the village with his own innovation, though with years of “trails and errors” came up with the concept of “off season cucumber cultivation.” This was later followed by neighbouring villages.

In spite of the erratic weather condition, the hardworking farmers did not give up in the cultivation (off season). This instead helped them in sustaining themselves while showing keen interest and enthusiasm.

Having felt the need to organize such a kind of an event, the agri and its allied graduates from the village also supported in organizing the first of its kind in the history of Nagaland.

Meanwhile, director, agriculture and state nodal officer (SNO), ATMA, Nagaland, M Ben Yanthan, who was the special guest at the inaugural programme of the festival at the village ground while sharing his thoughts on the cucumber festival congratulated the organizers for the successful initiative.

Remembering the Naga innovator for the off-season cucumber cultivation since 38 years back, Late Burremba Pongen, Yanthan mentioned that the amount of “trials and efforts” he has put in the field of cucumber cultivation.

However, he said that due to late Burremba’s consistency and patience in approaching towards the cultivation of the crop, it had also yielded him as a “successful progressive farmer” of Nagaland.

Lauding Dr I Amenla, JDA (ATMA), directorate of agriculture, Nagaland, in conceiving the “noble idea”, the first cucumber festival which he said has given his consent for the same on the spot with support from District Agriculture Officer (DAO) and project director, ATMA, Mokokchung, Imti Tzudir, and his team.
Earlier, the programme chaired by co-convenor, organizing committee, Toshimongla, started with an invocation prayer by Aliba Baptist Church pastor, Nungshi Pongen, welcome address was delivered by Keynote address was delivered by nodal officer, and joint director, ATMA, Dr I Amenla, while the vote of thanks was proposed by member secretary, Temjentola.
EAC, Onpangkong, Mokokchung, Sangpangchang Longkumer, also exhorted the gathering. Cucumber farmers from Wokha and Longleng districts and others are participating in the two day festival.

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