Guwahati: In a bid to empower villagers affected by human-elephant conflict (HEC) and supplement their income, a training program on Assam lemon cultivation was conducted by Aaranyak and the British Asian Trust. The training was held in Konwarbam, Jeypore, and Dibrugarh and focused on imparting knowledge to 38 villagers from three nearby villages.
The key objective of the training was to equip the villagers with the skills necessary to cultivate Assam lemons, which can serve as an effective bio fence against HEC. When planted in a specific pattern, with lemon plants arranged in three rows and alternate positions, the bio fence becomes a deterrent to elephants and helps protect crops.
The training, supported by the Darwin Initiative in collaboration with the KVK, Dibrugarh, was led by experts Sharmistha Borgohain and Sanghamitra Sarmah. They provided hands-on demonstrations on the plantation process, pest management, harvesting season, and market prospects to encourage the villagers to generate additional income through lemon sales.
Dr Alolika Sinha, Conservation Biologist at Aaranyak, expressed gratitude for the partnership with the local villagers and extended partial support to 15 beneficiaries with lemon saplings to initiate the bio fence. The initiative aligns with Aaranyak’s and British Asian Trust’s efforts to promote human-elephant coexistence in Assam and Meghalaya.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
The training program commenced with a brief deliberation on the importance of the training by Aaranyak’s Bidisha Borah, attended by senior officials and the project team. Aarayak’s Ejaj Ahmed and Dhantu Gogoi, with village champion Rajib Chetia, facilitated the event. Pre and post-evaluations were conducted through a questionnaire to assess the knowledge gained by the trainees.
Also Read | From Northeast to Europe: Assam Pepper debuts in French cuisine