Guwahati: The State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA) will provide Rs 5 crore to the Assam Agriculture University (AAU) in Jorhat for employment generation among zero poverty line people through smart agriculture in a village of Karbi Anglong district near Kaziranga National Park.
“The project will be taken up at Borjuri village to improve the livelihood of zero poverty line people using modern farming technology. SITA will provide us Rs 5 crore for implementation of the project,” said Ranjan Das, principal investigator of the project.
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The village is located seven km off Bokakhat town.
The project, titled “Upscaling of Livelihood: Implication through Smart Agriculture and Agro-Eco-Tourism”, aims to promote the livelihood of the people of the village by developing a climate-smart model of agriculture, creating farmer-friendly water-harvesting structures, maintaining soil health and controlling pest and disease issues.
It will also introduce climate change-resilient crop varieties, increase the beneficiary’s knowledge, encourage the use of an integrated farming system, establish custom hiring centres for agri-units and create homestead gardening models and build tourist family accommodations.
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The first instalment of Rs 1.49 crore was handed over to the AAU by SITA vice-chairman Ramen Deka at an official function held at Borbheta in Borjuri on Monday.
The fund was received by the Director of Research (Agri) Dr Mrinal Saikia on behalf of the university.
Deka said the beneficiaries need to have ownership of the work to be taken up for the project to be successful.
He also emphasized that unless the project is successful, it will be hard to take such type of project in the near future.
The project will primarily encompass the rural poor living in poverty, subsistence and semi-subsistence farmers, rural unemployed and self-employed and private entrepreneurs. It is estimated to cost Rs 5 crore and will be implemented within five years.
The programme was attended by KK Bora, organizing secretary, Bharatya Kishan Morcha, Assam, faculties of AAU, representatives of Tea and Spice Board of India, members of Kaziranga Kishi Aru Pyarjatan Samabay Samiti Limited, officials of SITA and by many stakeholders.