Arunachal: Protected Cultivation Boosts Farmer Income in Tawang
ICAR-VPKAS & KVK Distribute 30 Low-Cost Polyhouses.
TAWANG- Protected cultivation of high-value crops using low-cost polyhouse structures is emerging as a game-changer for farmers in Arunachal Pradesh’s hill regions. In a significant step, ICAR–Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan (ICAR-VPKAS), Almora (Uttarakhand), under the North Eastern Hill (NEH) programme, in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Tawang, has distributed 30 VL Portable Polyhouses to progressive farmers from villages adjoining Tawang town during 2024.
A team of scientists from ICAR-VPKAS and KVK Tawang recently visited Khinmey and Gyangkhar villages (27–28 August 2025) to monitor the performance of these structures and interact with farmers.
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During the interactions, Utkarsh Kumar, Scientist, ICAR-VPKAS, explained how low-cost VL Portable Polyhouses enable farmers to produce off-season, high-value vegetables that fetch better market prices. He highlighted key benefits, including improved yield and quality, efficient use of resources, year-round cultivation, and resilience against harsh climatic conditions.
Farmers confirmed the advantages, sharing that chillies grown under polyhouses were of higher quality and yield compared to open fields, especially in low temperatures.
Dr. R.P. Meena, Scientist (Agronomy), ICAR-VPKAS, guided farmers on improved agronomic practices and nutrient management for higher productivity. Dr. D.C. Joshi, Senior Scientist, ICAR-VPKAS, praised the farmers’ crop management and encouraged them to promote the technology through farmer-to-farmer dissemination.
From KVK Tawang, Dr. C.K. Singh, SMS (Agronomy), motivated farmers to cultivate high-value crops like capsicum, King Chilly, Monpa Chilly, tomato, cucumber, and strawberry. He also suggested using polyhouses for raising vegetable seedlings for commercial sale.
Farmers expressed strong enthusiasm for protected cultivation, appreciating ICAR-VPKAS Almora’s support. They requested further assistance for developing water storage structures to ensure life-saving irrigation during the dry winter months.
With the active participation of 30 farmers, the initiative is being hailed as a major step towards sustainable livelihood enhancement in Tawang through modern and climate-resilient farming practices.
