Deputy Commissioner Dimapur, Rajesh Soundararajan IAS, visited horticulture farms including dragon fruit farm at Shitovi village and a budding integrated farm at Vidima village on 4th September 2021. After visiting the dragon fruit farm owned by Project Director DRDA Mon, Temjen, Soundararajan observed that dragon fruit cultivation has very high potential in Nagaland due to the conducive climatic conditions. He appreciated the owner for showing the way forward to the farmers about organic dragon fruit cultivation which has high nutritional and medicinal values. District Horticulture officer Dimapur, Temsu Longkumer explained to the DC about the horticultural aspects, on how to grow dragon fruits. At Vidima, Rajesh visited a budding Integrated Farm owned by Renbemo Murry, son of Dr. John Murry where a number of horticulture crops including papayas (red lady) bananas, Soyabeans, are cultivated on a large scale besides piggery and fisheries. The owner informed that hybrid lichi, guavas and Ramputan would be planted by October this year. During an informal interaction with DC Dimapur, Dr. Murry highlighted on the need for nurturing farming groups in plant management and also felt the need for commercialization through nursery. School and college students should be given an opening by deputing them in the farms to carry out farming practically he said. There will be no future for the Nagas unless they go back to the soil, Dr. John Murry commented. DC was accompanied by DHO Dimapur, Temsu and DPRO Dimapur, Lolano Patton. (DPRO Dimapur)