Skip to content Skip to navigation

New venture promotes organic farming in the NE

By Mowsam Hazarika |

Shillong-based Zizira, which is engaged in the area of natural food products, is looking to open markets in a way that will benefit the farmers of north-eastern region.

“Agencies and the Government institutions help farmers with schemes, research and improved technological models, but they do not typically open markets. The farmers simply want to sell and make money. This is where Zizira comes in. Zizira is striving towards a successful business to sell products to the metro cities across India,” Ibansara Shullai, Coordinator of Zizira, told . She added, “Farmers sell the crops in the local markets or to middlemen at lower prices. We are working towards changing this concept.”

“Currently, we source from over 100 farmers around Meghalaya out of which we work closely with 30-40 farmers,” Shullai said. Zizira is using the online platforms such as Amazon and eBay as well as its own website to reach out to the customers for locally-sourced products.

“We have also created an online community to source agricultural products or share knowledge. Ushahidi is a powerful mapping tool where people can get critical and timely information. The tool is very easy to use. Anyone can access it from anywhere and post information world-wide. It is also used for providing assistance to anyone who wants to gather vital information on any topic. We hope to help people source agricultural products or share knowledge,” she said.

Shullai added, “Our focus is on the farmers of this region. Moreover, our intention is to promote locally-grown produce like the famous Bhut Jolokia.” 

Asked about Zizira’s efforts to promote organic farming in Meghalaya, she said, “Most of the farmers in the North-east use traditionally organic mode of farming. Zizira is helping the farmers by opening markets through robust e-commerce facilitation. We are mostly promoting responsible farming. And, we are trying to release the under-utilized potential of family farmers. Because of the uniqueness of the region, farmers should be able to grow a variety of crops that can sell for a higher amount.”

  • 10525 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Women's Day celebrated at Guwahati

Women's Day was celebrated by Society and Heallth in collaboration with sSTEP at Guwahati on THursday. An octogenerian street dweller of Panbazar Sukleswar Mandir inaugurated the occasion. Around 70 women from street dwellers, slams, daily wage earner, domestic helper participated the programme. Prabhat Ch Sharma, founder member of Society and Heallth supported the program by giving  mosquito nets  to the needy people.

An Evening of Classical Music at Kumarpara

An evening of Classical Music, in fond memory of Hirendra Nath Sarma, one of the doyens of classical music in Assam was held at the premises of the Nayantara Club, Kumarpara, Guwahati on 28th December, 2015. The programme was organized by the Nayantara Club, under active initiative of Satyen Sarma. The Evening was inaugurated by Padmini Sarma, wife of Late Hirendra Nath Sarma. Noted Artists, namely, Dilip Hazarika, Namita bhattacharjya and Dr. Samujjal Kr. Bhattacharjya, Adviser, AASU were felicitated in the programme. Minoti Khound (Violin), Hem Hazarika (Sitar), Jeeten Basumatary (Hindustani Vocal), Debojit Roy (Hindustani Vocal), Biswajit Roy Choudhary( Violin), Tarun Kalita (Sarod),...

Bina Hazarika - obituary

Bina Hazarika, noted writer and social activist , passed away at Marwari Maternity Hospital, Guwahati on November 5, 2015.  Born in Goalpara in 1932, she was married to Late Tara Prasad Hazarika, noted freedom fighter.  She leaves behind her sons, daughter-in-laws, grandsons, granddaughters and a host of relatives and admirers. Her cremation at the Bhootnath crematorium was attended by a large number of mourners. 

Gogoi reviews soil conservation

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has stressed best possible measures to ensure soil conservation.Gogoi told the soil conservation department officials when he reviewed the status of projects with officials at a meeting in Dispur on Saturday. He asked to come up with good performances.He said promising performance would help mitigate the misery of the people mired in poverty, unemployment. Flanked by minister Chandan Sarkar, the chief minister said that rewards will be given to those who deliver good performances. But in the samer breath, he announced atrict action will be taken against the erring officials.

Thumps up agriculture dept

The agriculture department steals the show receiving the Krishi Karman Award for its achievements in the field of pulse production in the year 2013-14.Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally presented the award to State Agriculture Minister Rakibul Hussain at a function of Soil Health Card and Krishi Karman Award distribution function held at Suratgarh Municipal Stadium in Rajasthan on Thursday in presence of Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, among other dignitaries.Two farmers of Assam – Amrita Surin of Christianbasti village of Sonitpur and Pradip Kumar Das of Athgaon Chapori of Nagaon – were also honoured with the best farmer’s award at the function.Assam has been ranked first...

Boom time for crop insurance

Altogether 21,660 farmers and 11,477.362 hectares of farmland have been covered under the Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) in 27 districts of the Assam for the Kharif 2014 season, that is – agricultural crops and horticultural crops like sali paddy, jute, black gram, green gram, ginger, turmeric, lady’s finger etc., grown between June and September, 2014.The total premium amount collected under the scheme for the season so far stands at Rs 46,81,77, 830. Fifty per cent of this amount is paid by the famers, while the remaining fifty per cent is being paid by the governments at the Centre and in the State. While the State Government provides 25 per cent of the premium, the Central...

Growing prospect of purple tea

A scientist from Tocklai Tea Research Institute (TTRI) in Jorhat has fetched no less ray of hope in the field of tea industry. He claimed to have found that the Kenyan purple tea, in fact, was originated in Assam and that such tea bushes are still found in the state.Purple tea, claimed to have a host of medicinal properties, has carved out a niche for itself in recent years in Kenya in the domestic market and as an export variety. Kenya is the only country that manufactures purple tea, which fetches three to four times the price of black tea.He is none other than Pradip Baruah. The principal scientist with the Tocklai Tea Research Institute observed that the clone Tea Research Foundation of...

Reefer Vehicle Call-In Centre launched

Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched a Reefer Vehicle Call-In Centre in New Delhi on Thursday.It would facilitate smoother transportation of perishable goods by providing redressal to issues that reefer van operators face on the highways.The minister said that the cold chain sector is fast growing, and key products including fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, confectionery and pharmaceuticals are critically dependent on it.The RVC will help crate a database of bottlenecks and their types across the national highways.According to him, the initiative, perhaps first of this kind in the world would provide help in registering the complaints of more than 30...

International Agri-Horti show from Wednesday

1st Assam International Agri-Horti Show 2014 will begin from Wednesday at Guwahati. Participants include the America, Italy, China, Myanmar, South Africa, the UK, Laos and Israel. "This is the largest conference cum exhibition in the agriculture and horticulture sector in the North East. It will showcase the strength of Assam in cultivation of different varieties of crops," said Agriculture Minister Nilamani Sen Deka. More than 5,000 farmers from different parts of the state to participate in the event.

Centre urged to support cold-chain development

The Assam government has urged the Centre to support the cold-chain development project in Assam for the benefit of farmers and consumers. Agriculture Minister Nilamani Sen Deka said here on 13,12.13 that during the last decade, the State had witnessed significant growth in the horticultural sector but due to non-existence of cold-chain, the post-harvest loss in the State was to the tune of 40 per cent.The productivity of total fruits in Assam was estimated to be 12.80 MT per hectare, which is higher than the national average of 11.70 MT/ha during 2010-11. During 2011-12, the State produced 17.75 lakh fruits and 45.14 lakh MT of vegetables but incurred loss due to lack of cold-chain in the...