Agartala, Oct 02: A shift towards scientific and market-oriented farming is beginning to reshape agricultural livelihoods in Jampuijala, with farmers associated with the Tripura Rural Economic Growth and Service Delivery Project (TRESP) recording encouraging returns from cucumber cultivation.

The experience of Tangbiti Producer Group (PG) in Dayarampara VC has emerged as an example of how improved cultivation techniques, technical guidance and regular field-level support can help rural producers increase farm productivity and income.

Members of the group have adopted a range of Package of Practices (POP) recommended for cucumber cultivation, including mulching, pheromone traps and yellow sticky traps. These measures have helped the growers manage their crops more systematically while addressing pest-related challenges and improving cultivation conditions.

Among the growers, Kumkum Debbarma has sold around 1,852 kg of cucumber through 16 pickings, earning Rs 1,11,120 so far. Harvesting from her field is still underway, leaving scope for further production and income.

Another PG member, Snadhyarani Debbarma, has marketed 447 kg of cucumber, generating an income of Rs 26,905. Her crop is also continuing to yield, according to the project.

The developments point towards a gradual move away from traditional cultivation practices towards more scientific crop management and market-linked production. By combining improved farm practices with technical assistance, farmers are seeking to improve both productivity and the commercial value of their produce.

The initiative received further technical attention during a recent visit by the Marketing Specialist of TSA and the Agri-Entrepreneur Specialist of TRESP to the cucumber fields. The specialists interacted with PG members and discussed various aspects of cultivation, harvesting, production, marketing and challenges encountered during the farming cycle.

Such field visits are intended to provide farmers with practical guidance while enabling technical teams to understand ground-level requirements and constraints more closely.

At the grassroots level, the TRESP Jampuijala Cluster Coordinator has been facilitating the PGs in addressing day-to-day operational issues and coordinating support from different stakeholders.

The progress has also been attributed to coordinated teamwork under BPM Jhutan Ghosh, involving the Block Project Management team, Cluster Coordinator, field functionaries, technical specialists and members of the Producer Groups.

The Tangbiti PG’s cucumber cultivation demonstrates the potential of combining scientific knowledge, farmer handholding and market-oriented approaches to create more viable livelihood opportunities in rural areas.

As such practices gain wider acceptance, the TRESP interventions in Jampuijala are contributing to efforts aimed at strengthening farm-based livelihoods, improving income opportunities and promoting more sustainable and resilient agricultural practices among rural communities.