Assam distributes 2.4 lakh coconut, arecanut seedlings to flood-hit farmers in two districts

The Assam government on October 27 distributed around 2.4 lakh coconut and arecanut seedlings among flood-affected farmers in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts to support their recovery and promote agricultural diversification.

Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Pijush Hazarika distributed the seedlings at a programme in Sivasagar, where he said the government was working to expand the area under irrigation and reduce farmers’ dependence on rainfall.

According to Hazarika, irrigation facilities currently cover around 21 per cent of Assam’s cultivated land. The government aims to bring an additional 20 per cent of the cultivated area under irrigation over the next four and a half years, he said.

The expansion is expected to improve agricultural productivity and strengthen farmers’ resilience to erratic rainfall.

The minister also assured farmers of adequate seed supplies for the upcoming Rabi season in Sivasagar and Charaideo. He stressed the need to encourage multiple cropping and diversify agricultural activities to increase farm incomes and promote sustainable livelihoods.

Highlighting the potential of horticulture, Hazarika said the government aimed to develop Assam into a leading horticulture state. He cited crops and produce such as dragon fruit, litchi, mango, jackfruit and agarwood as avenues for diversification and income generation.

The minister said around 50,000 farmers in Sivasagar district had been affected by recent floods.

As part of the recovery initiative, around 80,000 coconut seedlings and 1.6 lakh arecanut seedlings are being provided to farmers in Sivasagar and Charaideo.

Across Assam, the government is distributing around 2.84 lakh coconut seedlings and eight lakh arecanut seedlings among farmers this year, Hazarika said.