Agriculture & Allied Service
1. AGRICULTURE
Foodgrain Crops
The main foodgrain crops grown in the district are paddy, mnaize and millets. Though the major areas under these crops are grown with traditional varieties of crops, the department has now been able to motivate the farmers to take up crops of high yielding varieties like IR 36, Pusa-221, Megh-l, Megh-l l and U S- I by supplying quality seeds, fertilizers, etc., at 50% subsidized rates.
Commercial Crops
The main commercial crops grown in the district are
potato, ginger, turmeric, oilseed, black pepper, arecanut and betel leaves. To increase the area and production of commercial crops, the department is providing good varieties of potatoes,like Luirijyoti, kubri Megha, fibreless varieties of ginger, nadia and lakadong variety of Turmeric and some exotic variety of black pepper brought trom Kerala
Vegetable
Sector
Inspite of the fact that vegetable seeds are being provided by government at 50% subsidised rate, this sector has not been able to make much progress. The reason may be due to cattle problem, where, during winter season, being the peak period for vegetable cultivation, cattle could not berestricted from roaming free, thereby, destroying and treading the sprouting crops.
Power Tiller at work- towards Agriculture Mechanization
Multi
cropping
To make use of the Irrigation facilities provided by the Irrigation Wing in the command area of Kynshi, Umyiap, Aradonga and Manai, a multi-cropping programme was taken up by the department where paddy, potato and vegetables could be grown continuosly in the same year. To boost up production in the district this scheme is being encouraged, where farmers are being supplied with seeds, free of cost and also 50% subsidized rate
Horticultural
Crops
Among the Horticultural crops, orange, banana and pineapple are grown in the district Though some temperate fruits like plum, pear and peach are grown in the upper region, they are yet to take off on commercial scale. To encourage farmers to take up more horticultural crops, planting materials at 50% subsidized rate are being provided by Government. Besides, PP Chemicals /fertilizers, etc., are also provided to rejuvenate old orange orchards affected by die back disease.
Experimental
Tea Centre
An experimental tea center was established in 1976-77 at Riangdo, under Mawshynrut Development Block. where an area of 2.72 Hectares was put under plantation of tea crops On experimental basis. The varieties of tea tried here, include Betjan, Nanda Debi, Tengamine, stock-449, Manipur, Poly clonal, TV-1, 9, 14, 16, 17 and 18 , AV-2, TK-78, B-157 and 668. It is found that the quality of tea produced in this experimental plot is very good and, at present, the green leaves produced in the farm are sold to the nearest tea factory at Boko, Assam. Out of the varieties grown here, poly clonal, Betjan, Nanda Devi and Tengamine are doing well in terms of yield and quality.
The Irrigation wing of the Agriculture department seeks to provide assured water to the farmers during the lean season, along with proper utilization thereof, and to optimize agricultural production through better management of land and water in the command areas.
Umyiap F.I.P -Assured water to enhance agricultural activity
The main objective of this wing of the Agriculture department is for hiring out of agricultural machineries like power tillers, tractors, bull dozers, to the small and marginal farmers in the district at 60% sabsidy.
Recently, the government has introduced a loan-cum- subsidy scheme whereby small and Marginal farmers have been encourage to come forward and buy their own power-tillers and tractors at subsidised rates.
Departmental tree Nursery- Battling the barren Hill slopes
Through the different range offices located at Nongstoin Mairang, Riangdo, Weiloi and Ranikor, the department has been able to implement various schemes for conserving soil and water for a balance ecological development in the district. The main schemes implemented by the department are
Jhum
control/Jhumias Rehabilitation Scheme
Water Management Project
Central Sector Schemes
The main activities of the Social Forestry division of West Khasi Hills District including afforestation of Wastelands and degraded land, roadside plantation, raising of seedlings for departmental plantation as well as for free distribution.
West Khasi Hills is the biggest and the only district in Meghalaya where there is no forest area owned or directly controlled by the Government. From the Wildlife point of view, it is one of the district with maximum damages caused by wildlife, specially by wild elephants. The Shallang Wildlife Range office, which was earlier under Balpakram National Park Division, Baghmara, was shifted to Khasi Hills Wild Life Division, Shillong on 2nd December, 1992 for better management of wildlife species and administrative control in certain parts of West Khasi Hills District, specially the eastern and northern part of Balpakram National Park which falls under West Khasi Hills portions. Besides, the range office has been set up there in order to perform the anti- depredation works in certain areas from Sonapahar upto areas bordering East Garo Hills District.
7. ANIMAL
HUSBANDRY & VETERINARY
Piggery and Poultry Farming
Animal
Health Care
Assistance
to Educated Unemployed Youth
Chilling
Plant
Poultry Farm at Nongstoin- A supportive income activity
Fish Seed Farm at Porsohsat- To meet the increasing demand for fish seed
West Khasi Hills District has vast potential for development of culture and capture fisheries. The fishery resources comprise of rivers, streams, ponds and some natural lakes. As the position stands today, pond fisheries have been practiced by some people in a very traditional way and scientific fish culture in the district is a recent trend. The deptt., since its inception in 1974, has taken up some development scheme like "Assistance to pisciculturists" by rendering financial assistance to private fish farmers with a view to intensify pond culture fisheries and also to augment fish production. Today, the bulk of fish production comes from capture fisheries, with Ranikor river contributing the majority of fish landing in West Khasi Hills District.
The department of Fisheries has, till date, set up 2 (two) fish seeds farms at Mairang(Laitblieh) and Nongstoin(Porsohsat) to meet the growing demand for fish seeds in the district. These fish farms also serves as Demonstration centres to private pisciculturists. Besides, in the recent past, the department has taken up some development schemes for the benefit of the fish farmers and to boost up fish production in both farm culture and capture fisheries. Integrated fish farming schemes in the rural areas like Paddy cum-Fish culture, Piggery-cum-fish culture and Duckery-cum-Fishery were taken up to improve the socio-economic condition of the people.
9.
SERICULTURE AND HANDLOOM
(WEAVING)
Sericulture and Handloom Weaving are the two important cottage industries in the West Khasi Hills District, which are linked with traditional and cultural life of its people. The varieties of silk worm reared in this district are Mulbery, Eri and Muga. The plantation area under Silk worm food plants is about 624 hectares covering about 2,700 families
For extending facilities to silk worm rearers in the form of planting materials, manure, fencing materials etc, village extension centres were set up at Umkrem (for Mulberry), Malangkona, Nongdaju and Aradonga (for Eri) while the Pilot Extension Centre is set up at Malangkona (for Muga). For raising the chowkie worms (early stage worms) to be distributed to beneficiaries silkworms rearers, three chowkie rearing centers were set up at Khliehmawlich, Nongshillong and Koltapara.
For raising food plants, three nurseries have been set up in the district. They are Nongdaju (for Mulberry), Aradonga and Malangkona (for Muga). For the purpose of providing necessary training to the local reelers and spinners, a Muga Reeling unit at Umsohpieng and an Eri spinning centre at Malangkona were set up.
Handloom
Weaving :