One day demonstrational training on coconut cultivation was held at Daji Teksragre Village under Chokpot block.
Associate professor Dr. B. Mathew, Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Production, NEHU Tura Campus was the training resource person.
BAKDIL NGO has been implementing the Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) in phases in various locations. The NGO currently has three ongoing such projects in Samanda Block, Kharkutta Block, and Rongram Block.
NABARD has yet again sanctioned for new ITDP project which is ITDP-V to be implemented in Chokpot block in South Garo Hills where 200 households in 15 villages will receive 30 saplings of Assam Tall variety coconut and 50 budded Khasi Mandarin variety saplings of oranges. The project will also provide queen pineapple and 100 cuttings of a drumstick as a border crop.
The project is likely to be launched by the last week of May.
The first training was organized on Tuesday (26 April 2022) on the scientific method of coconut cultivation where 70 beneficiaries have partaken. All the 200 beneficiaries did not show up as the day coincides with the weekly market day in Chokpot.
The resource person Dr. B Mathew explained the various benefits of cultivating coconut in day-to-day life. “Coconut water is very high in nutrients and minerals that alone can keep the man alive without food for three days,” he said while explaining the benefits of coconut water.
Tall variety coconuts have a life span of 80-90 years and reach a height of 90-100 ft. The tall variety of coconut yields 60-80 nuts per palm throughout the year. The best time for planting coconut is during May, with the onset of pre-monsoon rain being ideal.
Dr. B. Mathew also showed the visual presentation for spacing and planting for Assam tall cultivation and its pest and disease identification.
While demonstrating through visual presentation to the people he told them that the pits have to be 1 x 1 x 1 meter at a spacing of 9 m x 9 m far from each plant. He also said that adding a layer of sand while planting gives protection from termites. “The more you add sand, the more it is better,” he added.
Under the project, the beneficiaries with at least 1 acre of cultivable fallow land will plant Assam tall coconut following the methods taught in the training that is at a spacing of 9 m x 9 m. while in between the coconut tree the beneficiaries will cultivate suckers of Queen pineapple as an intercrop.
The project will run for a period of 6 years during which the coconut trees will start bearing fruit. Whereas the pineapples will be available for marketing within 2 years of cultivation.
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