Agartala, 14 November 2025: The ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Tripura Centre successfully conducted a seven-day training programme titled “Agri-Aqua Interventions for Productivity Enhancement from Under-cropped Land” from 10 November 2025. The programme was organised under the DST–STI Hub operational at ICAR Tripura Centre as part of the DST-funded project “Multilayered Agriculture Strategies for Income and Nutritional Security for Cash Crop Plantation Workers in Lefunga Block, West Tripura District.”
The event was held in collaboration with NABARD, Tripura; ICAR-CIFE, Kolkata Centre; ICAR-NRCO, Sikkim; and ICAR-DGR, Junagadh, under the able mentorship of Dr. B. U. Choudhury, Head, ICAR Tripura Centre.
A total of 112 farmers from seven villages were trained in scientific agri-aqua techniques aimed at increasing productivity from challenging landscapes such as waterlogged wastelands, rubber plantation alley areas, water-deficit mid-hill plots, and small or shallow aquaculture ponds.
The input and certificate distribution ceremony was held on 14 November 2025 at Sachindra Debbarma Memorial Hall, Lefunga. Critical inputs including magur fish seeds and water quality testing kits were distributed by ICAR-CIFE, Kolkata under the NEH component. Farmers also received fish feed, lime, black pepper planting materials, paddy seeds, watering cans, and groundnut seeds from the ICAR Tripura Centre under various schemes including AICRP-Rice.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. B. U. Choudhury, HoRC, ICAR Tripura Centre, highlighted the objectives and long-term vision of the DST–STI Hub for uplifting cash crop plantation workers and improving farm productivity through scientific interventions.
The programme was inaugurated by Shri Ranabir Debbarma, Chairman, Lefunga Block Panchayat Samiti, who emphasized the need for robust scientific engagement for the upliftment of tribal farming communities. Dr. Santosh Das, Director, State Fisheries Department; Dr. Anjan Sengupta, Joint Director, DBT Tripura; and Dr. Narendra Reang, BDO, Lefunga, assured full institutional support to farmers for adopting scientific farming practices.
The event was attended by scientists from ICAR Tripura Centre Dr. Rekha Das, Dr. Kouberi Nath, Dr. Pradip Kumar Sarkar, Dr. Bapi Das, and Dr. Rahul Kumar along with ICAR-CIFE scientists Dr. Sujata Sahoo and Dr. Dhalongsaih Reang.
Programme coordinators will continue monitoring and providing hand-holding support to beneficiary farmers in the coming years.
The concluding day of the training, scheduled for tomorrow, will feature hands-on sessions on orchid cultivation, propagation, and value addition, in collaboration with ICAR-NRCO, Sikkim, under the guidance of Dr. S. P. Das, Director, ICAR-NRCO.
