Shillong, May 13: A delegation from the International Fund for Agricultural Developmentbegan a two-day field visit to project locations under the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project (Megha-LAMP) across Ri Bhoi district on Wednesday to review grassroots livelihood and agricultural initiatives supported under the programme.
The delegation included Donal Brown, Reehana Raza, and James MachDsousa Shield.
Organised by the Megha-LAMP project, the visit aimed to showcase community-led institutions, farmer collectives, processing units and livelihood initiatives supported by the programme.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Brown said Meghalaya, despite being geographically remote, possesses immense potential for high-value agricultural products, making it an important focus area for IFAD’s efforts to support smallholder farmers. He praised the agro-processing initiatives led by village cooperative societies and highlighted the quality of local products such as turmeric, black pepper, cashews and pineapples.
He also stressed the importance of branding and packaging in helping local products access larger domestic and international markets, including urban centres and export destinations in the Middle East and Europe.
On the first day of the visit, the delegation toured grassroots agricultural infrastructure and community initiatives in Ri Bhoi district. At Umwang, the officials visited the Integrated Village Cooperative Society (IVCS) and the Collective Marketing Centre (CMC), where they interacted with community members and reviewed PRIME Hub initiatives in the district.
The team later visited Bhoirymbong to inspect the upcoming Organic Spice Unit, which is expected to become the largest organic spice industrial unit in the Northeast, and observed various value-addition activities.
Ms. Raza highlighted the success of IFAD’s two-decade-long partnership with Meghalaya and underscored the importance of sustained collaboration in creating long-term investments that support small farmers. She also appreciated the progress made by local communities across different phases of the project and praised the hospitality of the people of Meghalaya.
On the second day of the visit, the IFAD delegation is scheduled to visit Jirang in Ri Bhoi district, including the Pineapple Processing Unit, Jirang PRIME Hub, model farm initiatives and the Jirang Organic Agro Farmers Producer Company Limited. Further interactions with farmers, producer groups and entrepreneurs are also planned.
The externally aided Megha-LAMP project, implemented by the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency with support from IFAD, focuses on improving rural livelihoods, strengthening community institutions, promoting value addition and enhancing market access for farmers and producer collectives across the state.
