Agartala: The Tripura government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS), Nagpur, to conduct scientific research on cultivable land.
Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath said the initiative aims to enhance agricultural productivity and achieve self-reliance in foodgrain production.
The MoU will facilitate detailed land resource mapping using geo-spatial techniques across three districts of the state, enabling crop-specific planning and promoting sustainable farming practices.
Nath was speaking after inaugurating a workshop on the Land Resource Inventory of Tripura using Geo-Spatial Techniques at Pragya Bhawan here.
Emphasising the importance of scientific assessment, the minister said self-reliance in agriculture cannot be achieved without proper research on land.
He noted that land quality forms the foundation of agriculture, followed by seeds, water availability, and scientific cultivation methods.
Nath said the initiative was launched three years ago to study soil layers and land conditions in the state.
As part of the first phase, South Tripura and Gomati districts were surveyed by NBSS soil scientists, who subsequently submitted their findings.
Based on these outcomes, the state government entered into an MoU to extend the survey to North Tripura, Dhalai, and Unakoti districts.
He added that the findings for these three districts were presented during the workshop, while surveys in the remaining districts—West Tripura, Sepahijala, and Khowai—are yet to be completed.
The minister remarked that previous governments had spoken about making Tripura self-sufficient in foodgrain production but lacked a concrete and scientific roadmap.
He said soil scientists can now clearly identify soil types and recommend suitable crops, including paddy, millet, rubber, and palm oil, for specific regions.
Referring to earlier attempts at palm oil cultivation in areas such as Nagicherra, Nath said the absence of proper land assessment had resulted in limited success.
With scientific inputs from NBSS, the government will now prepare crop-specific plans in consultation with soil experts to ensure tangible benefits for farmers.
Nath said discussions have already been held with senior officials of the agriculture department, including scientists and directors, and expressed confidence that the initiative would achieve complete success in the coming years.
He further noted that before the present government assumed office, only 22 development blocks in Tripura were self-sufficient in foodgrain production.
This number has since increased to 30, with five more blocks expected to achieve self-sufficiency within the current year.
The minister also said more agricultural products from Tripura would receive geographical indication (GI) tagging in the coming days, which will help enhance their market value and recognition.
Agriculture Department Secretary Apurba Roy, Director of Agriculture Fani Bhushan Jamatia, State Nodal Officer Uttam Saha, and other senior officials were present at the programme.