Agriculture marketing is one of the best ways for income generation for farmers who depend on agriculture. But because of the lack of knowledge on marketing by the farmers, their hard work goes unpaid. It is a link between farmers and consumers.

Ms Hoichong from New Chalkot village under Peren district of Nagaland realised this opportunity and acted to become financially stabler. She is a good example and a hope for the other farmers to start earning from their farm products.

Besides being a mother and a wife, she is a successful agri-entrepreneur. Hoichong’s family generated their income by reselling other farmers farm product besides their farm products. She collects vegetables from the farmers in her native village and drives to Jalukie town twice a week to sell them. Besides earning from reselling other farm products. Hoichong would also collect forest product and sell in the market. Initially, her annual income is estimated to 35,000 to 40,000 INR.

During the lockdown period, farmer’s income generation came to standstill because of the restriction of movements. Hoichong being a vendor understood the challenges of both the sellers and buyers and so whenever she finds an opportunity for public movements she would collect farmers’ products and would go to town to sell them. She was appreciated by the farmers for her generous work.

Her interest in marketing increased after she participated in Kisan Mela organised by Development Association of Nagaland (DAN), a partner of Caritas India. Hoichong has been a regular participant in all the programs organised by DAN under the FARM programme. In August 2020 after attending program under the topic “promote lead farmers for selling their product regularly”, she was encouraged to upgrade her business.

Realising the need for a market for many farmers, Hoichong decided to buy vegetables even from her neighbouring village farmers at wholesale price and took them to sell it from Jalukie town weekly Bazar. She got a good profit and currently, she has been earning an approx. Rs. 5,000 to 6,000 INR in a month.

“My husband has been very supportive, he would do the picking and drop for me despite his busy scedules, together we are trying to get a better earning and help those farmers who could not able to carry their farm products for selling in the market,’’ says Hoichong.

There were 10 families approximately from whom Hoichong collects farm produce and providing them with an income for the farming families. She is not only trying to be self-sufficient but also trying to help others farmer earn income through their farm products.

She has now become an inspiration and other farmers in the village were also motivated to sell their farm products in the market and not just to cultivate only for their self-consumption.

Hoichong also has a plan to take the products to the larger market in Dimapur town. To encourage her, DAN constantly makes follow up visit and also facilitates linkages with the marketing committee in Jalukie town, connects to those institutions who are in demand of vegetables and to the suppliers of organic vegetables. DAN further aims to connect those farmers who are interested in marketing to the Nagaland first organic AC market which is located at Agri Expo in Dimapur. This will help promote farmers to sell their products in the market.