Guwahati: Amid flood-ravaged paddy fields, a community effort to deliver seedlings has rekindled hope among upper Assam’s farmers racing against time to resume cultivation.Individuals, community groups and political parties are sending seedlings to affected districts to help farmers resume cultivation and safeguard food security.Though floodwaters have receded from several villages, farmers must clear thick layers of silt and mud from their fields. In many areas, flash floods destroyed fields where transplantation had already been completed.With support from the Moran Students’ Union, Kakopathar farmer Anup Moran collected more than 3,000 muthi (clumps) of seedlings. Over the past two days, these were transported to Lahongaon, Tengapukhuri and Morangaon villages in Sivasagar’s Nazira constituency and distributed among farmers.“These seedlings were left after the villagers of Kakopathar completed their paddy transplantation recently. It’s a show of strength and unity. Unless we can help them grow food, mere distribution of relief materials won’t help,” said Anup.The BJP’s Jorhat district unit on Saturday sent its first vehicle carrying seedlings to flood-hit farmers in Sivasagar. Organised with Madhukar Seva Nyas and the party’s Borholla Mandal, the initiative will support farmers in Hahchora Kujibali.Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi has launched a similar drive in Charaideo, Sivasagar and Jorhat. Youths from Dhemaji, Tinsukia and other districts are also procuring seedlings.The agriculture department and Moinapariya Namghar Management Committee on Saturday began cultivating the improved Bina-17 rice variety in Jorhat’s Moinapariya. Revenue minister Keshab Mahanta said such initiatives could help flood-hit farmers resume cultivation.
