Guwahati: A farmer-to-farmer exposure programme in Assam’s Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape (KKL) is promoting improved banana cultivation as a sustainable livelihood option for indigenous rural communities.
Organised by biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak at Englepathar village on September 2, the programme brought together 10 farmers from the Kohora and Diring river basins to learn improved cultivation practices, pest and disease management, nutrient management, value addition and market linkages.
During the field demonstration, progressive farmer Boronson Tokbi showcased banana cultivation practices at his homestead, including selection of healthy saplings, bunch covering and mulching using locally available materials such as dry leaves and rice husks.
Tokbi said he had initially lacked knowledge of scientific banana cultivation but improved his practices after receiving J9 Jahaji banana saplings and training from Aaranyak and the Department of Agriculture.
The participants also shared challenges they faced in banana cultivation. Ramsing Engti of Sivoram Terang village said his earlier banana plants were lost due to poor management and damage by cattle and goats.
The exposure visit helped him understand the importance of regular care, manure application and crop management.
Wilson Taro of Diring Lekthe village said wild elephants and cattle had damaged most of the banana plants in his agroforestry plot, while surviving plants showed slow growth because of inadequate nutrient management.
Aaranyak said banana cultivation could provide an additional source of income for households dependent on paddy cultivation, subsistence farming and seasonal agricultural labour, while making productive use of homestead spaces and locally available resources.
The organisation also highlighted opportunities for local market linkages, particularly with hotels, restaurants and other businesses in the Kaziranga region.
Aaranyak-promoted community business hub PIRBI is supporting these efforts through Food Processing Centres in the Diring and Kohora river basins, where local communities can process and add value to agricultural produce.
Larbeen Teronpi of Aaranyak said combining traditional farming knowledge with scientific practices and locally available resources could support both livelihoods and environmental sustainability.
The organisation said improved banana cultivation could help reduce dependence on seasonal wage labour and migration while strengthening rural incomes and local markets.
The programme was attended by farmers from Sivoram Terang, Englepathar, Phumen Engti and Diring Lekthe villages.
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