Williamnagar, Jan 13: Under the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-supported Livelihood Enhancement Program through Renewable Energy Systems, the Meghalaya Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy Development Agency (MNREDA) has launched a major intervention to support pineapple, ginger and banana farmers across the Garo Hills, aimed at increasing farm incomes, cutting out middlemen and establishing sustainable market linkages.
As part of the initiative, large-scale direct procurement of ginger and turmeric has begun, with around 300 farmers from 18 villages participating. On the first day alone, nearly 30 metric tonnes of produce were aggregated through a coordinated village-level mechanism, reflecting strong local participation and organisation.
Farmers are being paid ₹40 per kg for fresh ginger almost double the prevailing local market price. Village-level companies are managing aggregation, transportation and packaging, significantly reducing farmers’ operational costs and post-harvest losses.
The first vehicle carrying ginger and turmeric was formally flagged off by MNREDA Chairman Rupert Momin. The consignment is being transported to Cultivator Natural Products in Jodhpur for ginger oil extraction. Notably, ginger grown in the Garo Hills is known for its high essential oil content often nearly double that of other regions making it particularly suitable for value-added processing.
Addressing the gathering, Momin described the procurement drive as a key milestone and stressed the importance of scaling up direct market access for farmers. He said efforts are underway to strengthen market linkages, ensure fair pricing mechanisms and expand organic certification and value chains.
The initiative is expected to particularly benefit small, marginal and women farmers by offering assured market access, transparent procurement and better price realisation. MNREDA Director Dr Joram Beda highlighted the agricultural potential of the region and underscored the role of collective farmer mobilisation and sustainable supply chains in improving long-term livelihoods.
The Garo Hills procurement initiative is being seen as a replicable model for sustainable livelihood enhancement, combining direct procurement, value addition and organised market access to strengthen the rural economy and deliver lasting benefits to farmers.
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-supported Livelihood Enhancement Program through Renewable Energy Systems, the Meghalaya Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy Development Agency (MNREDA) has launched a major intervention to support pineapple, ginger and banana farmers across the Garo Hills, aimed at increasing farm incomes, cutting out middlemen and establishing sustainable market linkages.){kind=link}