The 3rd Maize Festival-cum-seminar was held at Pumtiang (Phallong Part-3) in Manipur’s Tamenglong district on Saturday.
The day-long festival was organised by Farmer’s Club in collaboration with Phallong Village Authority with the theme ‘Enhancing Farmers’ Livelihood Security Through Sustainable Maize Production’.
Executive Member Pouhotlung Panmei of the Autonomous District Council, Tamenglong attended the inaugural function of the festival as the Chief Guest.
District Agriculture Officer Todinang Panmei of Tamenglong district and chairman, Lanrilung Panmei of Phallong Village Authority were the Guests of Honour at the programme while programme co-ordinator Dr PK Saraswat of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Tamenglong, subject matter specialists Dr K Ravi (Genetic & Plants Breeding) and I Bhupenchandra (Soil Science) both from KVK Tamenglong attended as resource persons of the seminar on maize production.
Most of the speakers including the resource persons talk about the importance of maize festival and expressed that the farmers need to take up the entrepreneurship development activities for the sustainable livelihood and other capacity building in the agricultural sectors in the district in the wake of the government of India’s commitment to achieve doubling the farmers income by 2022.
To make the commitment a reality, they also suggested that the farmers should incorporate the value addition techniques while producing the agricultural products.
Maize eating competition, Agricultural Fair & Seminars for the Farmers were the main highlights of the day’s festival,according to an organiser of the event. Phallong village is also well known as its maize taste in Tamenglong district.
Later Gaithaubuanang Panmei, Athui Panmei and RK David were adjudged as first,second and third prize winners of the Maize eating contest.