The Meghalaya government on June 26 launched the second phase of its Rs 295-crore Meghalaya State Organic Mission (MSOM) and distributed Rs 5.8 crore in financial assistance to village cooperative societies, with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma underscoring the central role of women in advancing sustainable agriculture.

The announcement was made during the inaugural session of the two-day International Conference on Women Farmers and Sustainable Organic Agriculture in Shillong.

Addressing delegates, Sangma said the state's development strategy has consistently prioritised farmers, women and youth while preserving indigenous farming practices.

"Whatever actions we take, we must keep our farmers, women, youth and other stakeholders in front of us," the chief minister said.

Highlighting Meghalaya's matrilineal society, Sangma said women enjoy a unique sense of ownership that strengthens sustainable farming practices.

"When you connect farming, sustainability and organic farming to our matrilineal system, you actually end up unlocking something really magical," he remarked.

The conference, organised by the Meghalaya Natural and Organic Society for Livelihood and Innovation in Agriculture (MEGNOLIA) under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare in collaboration with IFOAM Organics Asia and German development bank KfW, brought together around 400 participants, including delegates from Nepal, Bhutan, Vietnam, Fiji, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, Japan and the Philippines.

As part of Phase II of the Meghalaya State Organic Mission (2024–2028), the government plans to bring an additional 44,000 hectares under organic cultivation, benefiting nearly 46,000 small and marginal farmers. During the first phase, organic farming practices had already been introduced across 28,742 hectares.

The state government also distributed cheques worth Rs 5.80 crore to Integrated Village Cooperative Societies (IVCS) across 12 districts as the second instalment of organic input support under Phase I of the mission.

Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Timothy D. Shira said women are not merely participants in agriculture but custodians of traditional knowledge. He added that the government is working to develop value-added enterprises around high-value crops such as Lakadong turmeric and Khasi mandarin.

Agriculture Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar D. said Meghalaya is well suited to host such a conference because women own a majority of land and play a leading role in the rural economy. He expressed confidence that the state would achieve its target of bringing one lakh hectares under organic cultivation within the next two years.

Launched in 2024, the Rs 295-crore Meghalaya State Organic Mission aims to transform Meghalaya into a globally recognised organic farming hub while enhancing the incomes of small and marginal farmers, women-led groups and farmer producer organisations.

Representatives from IFOAM Organics Asia and KfW also commended Meghalaya's progress in promoting sustainable agriculture, strengthening community institutions and empowering women farmers through organic farming initiatives.