Guwahati: Aaranyak, a premier biodiversity conservation organization, organized a one-day training programme on homestead gardening on Sunday at the Jaikhlong Community Nursery in Badlapara in Assam’s Udalguri district.
The event aimed to empower local communities with sustainable living practices.
Twenty-six participants from nearby villages attended the training on homestead gardening techniques, vermicomposting, soil-less germination, and plant propagation techniques.
During the event, a total of 413 saplings from Jaiklong Community Nursery were distributed for homestead gardens, including Passiflora edulis (Passion Fruit), Dillenia indica (Elephant Apple), Piper nigrum (Black Pepper), Gmelina arborea (Gamari), Citrus limon (Assam Lemon), Mesua ferrea (Nahar), and Terminalia arjuna (Arjun).
Jayanta Kr. Pathak, Senior Manager at Aaranyak, highlighted the importance of biodiversity conservation and livelihood generation. He emphasized the potential of vermicomposting for improving soil health.
Pathak also discussed the benefit of establishing a vermicomposting unit and its potential in homestead gardening.
He also encouraged and motivated the participants to engage in the exchange of commodities between the nursery and homestead beneficiaries to meet their needs, such as exchanging cow manure from the homestead (cattle owners) for saplings from the nursery.
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Premila Narzary, executive member from Jaikhlong Nursery, and Aaranyak’s Haben Mochahari demonstrated how to prepare scientific seeding beds for soil-less germination using vermicomposting sand and cocopeat. The participants were enthusiastic about learning this technique.
The event showcased Aaranyak’s commitment to sustainable development and community empowerment in Assam.
