ITANAGAR, Jun 28: Agriculture & Horticulture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu, who chaired the Department of Horticulture (GoAP)-hosted Chintan Baithak — Review Meeting 2026 at the conference hall (Agriculture) on Friday last, has cautioned that crop selection must be guided by ground realities.
Among others, MLA-cum-Advisor to Minister Horticulture Talem Taboh, Secretary Horticulture Koj Rinya, & Director Tobom Bam, Head SHRDI and all officers from the Directorate, districts and team of SHRI and KVKs of Kurung Kumey and Dibang Valley, attended the meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, the Minister urged the department to exercise care in deciding which crops are promoted and recommended to farmers, cautioning that crop selection must be guided by ground realities.
The Minister’s central message was that the department must broaden its outlook from research to the marketplace. “It should be lab to land to market — not merely lab to land,” he said, stressing that the value chain must extend all the way to the market so that farmers realise actual returns, and that scientific advances translate into income rather than ending at the cultivation stage. He directed officials to keep marketing and farmer profitability at the heart of every intervention.
Wangsu further emphasised that the Department must learn from past experiences and adapt to changing times by embracing new technologies and innovative approaches. He urged all officers to continuously upgrade their knowledge and align themselves with emerging advancements in the sector.
The Minister remarked that the true measure of the Department’s success lies in the positive impact created in farmers’ fields. He stated that tangible improvements in farmers’ livelihoods and productivity would strengthen the case for prioritizing the horticulture sector within the Government.
Taboh appreciated the work of the District Horticulture Officers and flagged the need for dedicated vehicles for field officers. He recommended close consultation with local representatives in the selection of beneficiaries and called for timely promotion of officers as a measure of encouragement.
Secretary outlined the way forward for the sector, emphasising the strengthening of research and development (R&D) and the focused value-chain development of major crops. She also proposed the constitution of a committee to oversee on-ground implementation of the schemes.
Concluding the Chintan Baithak, the Minister expressed hope that the discussions on achievements, challenges and success stories would serve as a catalyst for district officers to work with renewed vigour, commitment and vision towards the holistic development of the horticulture sector in the State.