Shillong, June 26: Meghalaya reaffirmed its commitment to women-led sustainable agriculture on Thursday as it hosted the two-day International Conference on Women Farmers and Sustainable Organic Agriculture at the State Convention Centre, bringing together delegates from 10 countries and around 400 participants to celebrate the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Organised by the Meghalaya Natural and Organic Farming Society for Livelihood and Innovation in Agriculture (MEGNOLIA) under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, in collaboration with IFOAM–Organics Asia and KfW, the conference is being held under the theme “Women Farmers Leading Change Globally for Organic Food Systems.” Delegates from Nepal, Bhutan, Vietnam, Fiji, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, Japan and the Philippines are participating alongside women farmers, policymakers and researchers.
Addressing the inaugural session, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the government’s development policies over the past eight years have consistently placed farmers, women and youth at the centre. He said Meghalaya’s matrilineal society, combined with its commitment to sustainable and organic farming, provides a unique model for agricultural development. The Chief Minister also highlighted the remarkable growth of Self-Help Groups and farmer producer organisations in the state and stressed the need to preserve indigenous farming knowledge while embracing sustainable technologies.
Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Timothy D. Shira said women are the custodians of Meghalaya’s traditional agricultural knowledge and have played a pivotal role in transforming the state’s agriculture sector. He highlighted the government’s efforts to promote value addition, processing infrastructure, branding and market access for products such as Lakadong turmeric and Khasi mandarin, enabling women farmers to become stakeholders in profitable enterprises.
Commissioner and Secretary of the Agriculture Department, Dr. Vijay Kumar D., described the conference as one of the first large-scale events in India dedicated exclusively to women farmers. He said Meghalaya is on course to achieve its target of bringing one lakh hectares under organic cultivation, with nearly 24,000 hectares already certified under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP). He also announced the launch of Phase II of the Meghalaya State Organic Mission (MSOM) 2024–2028, under which an additional 44,000 hectares covering around 46,000 small and marginal farmers will be brought under organic cultivation.
The state government also distributed ₹5.80 crore as the second tranche of organic input support to Integrated Village Cooperative Societies (IVCS) across all 12 districts under Phase I of the Meghalaya State Organic Mission.
Officials said the Meghalaya State Organic Mission, launched in 2024 with an investment of ₹295 crore over three years, aims to transform Meghalaya into a globally competitive organic farming hub while ensuring that small and marginal farmers, women-led groups, Self-Help Groups and producer organisations benefit from the organic value chain.
IFOAM Organics Asia President Mathew John praised Meghalaya’s commitment to organic farming, biodiversity conservation, indigenous knowledge and women’s empowerment, while KfW Senior Sector Specialist Sangeeta Agarwal described the state as a frontrunner in advancing sustainable organic agriculture through strong community institutions and women-led rural development.
The conference builds on Meghalaya’s growing international profile in organic agriculture, following the successful hosting of the 1st Northeast India Organic Week and the 4th World IFOAM Organic Youth Summit in 2025, events that positioned the state as an emerging centre for organic innovation, knowledge exchange and sustainable farming.
