Shillong, Jul 25 : With hundreds of tonnes of pineapple peels, banana stems, and flower waste going unused each year, the Meghalaya government on Friday signed 13 MoUs with leading technical and research institutions to convert farm and floral waste into organic compost and herbal colours, including gulal, officials said on Friday.
The initiative also aims to promote the production of health foods from millets, sorghum, and maize as part of a broader push to boost rural entrepreneurship, improve farmers’ incomes, and reduce environmental waste through value addition, they said.
The pacts were signed during the Summit for Rural Empowerment at the State Convention Centre here and form part of the state’s efforts under the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM) to transform rural livelihoods through innovation, technology, and market linkages.
Officials said six more pacts are likely to be signed and are expected to further strengthen livelihood initiatives in tribal and remote areas of the state.
The government aims to shift from low-value primary production to high-value processing of local resources in a manner that is both economically and ecologically sustainable.
Activities under the new MoUs include producing compost from fruit waste, extracting essential oils from medicinal plants, converting flowers into natural dyes, and developing nutritious food products from indigenous crops, officials added.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, speaking at the event, said the summit showcases the government’s sustained commitment to farmers, women, and rural communities.
Over the last seven years, the state has facilitated the formation of more than 55,000 SHGs involving over 5 lakh women, and extended support to over 2 lakh farmers and 20,000 farmer collectives, the CM said.
Addressing concerns such as delays in seed supply, Sangma said the CM Farm Plus Scheme is expected to streamline farm input delivery and boost productivity.
He also highlighted that the government has spent Rs 50 crore in the past eight months under the CM Assure Programme to stabilise the prices of key crops like turmeric and betelnut.
Agriculture Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh called PMJVM a “far-sighted transformation that is already bearing fruit.”.
She said flagship initiatives like the CM Farm Plus Scheme and the State Organic Farming Mission, currently implemented across 52,000 hectares and targeting 1 lakh hectares by 2028, are vital to reviving the rural economy.
She also informed that 169 Vikas Divyangta Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) have been sanctioned, benefiting over 50,000 people.
Each VDVK supports 15 self-help groups (SHGs) of which 60 per cent are from tribal communities, and provides Rs 15 lakh in financial assistance for equipment, training, and marketing support.
Dr Vijay Kumar D of the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) said the MoUs will help convert VDVKs into viable rural enterprises by connecting them with reputed institutions across India.
He also recalled Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s praise of Meghalaya as a self-reliant and resilient model for the country. (PTI)
