SHILLONG : International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Associate Vice-President Dr. Donal Brown has said Meghalaya’s remote geographical location is not a barrier to global agricultural trade, stressing that the state possesses strong potential for exporting high-value farm products to national and international markets.
During a two-day visit to Megha-LAMP project sites in Ri Bhoi District, Dr. Brown highlighted that branding and attractive packaging are crucial for helping Meghalaya’s products compete in urban and international markets.
“While Meghalaya is geographically remote, it possesses immense potential for high-value agricultural products, making it a vital focus area for IFAD’s mission to support smallholder farmers,” he said.
The IFAD delegation included Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Reehana Raza and IFAD India Country Director James Mach Dsousa Shield. The team reviewed several initiatives under the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project (Megha-LAMP), implemented by the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) with support from IFAD.
Dr. Brown praised the quality of Meghalaya’s indigenous agricultural products, including turmeric, black pepper, cashews and pineapples. He said the state is already producing export-quality goods and now needs stronger branding and presentation strategies to enter larger markets.
“If you’re looking to export to other parts of India or markets in the Middle East and Europe, it’s not just the quality of the product, but also the branding and packaging that matter,” he said, adding that Meghalaya’s products already show promising commercial appeal.
The delegation visited the Integrated Village Cooperative Society and Collective Marketing Centre at Umwang and inspected the upcoming Organic Spice Unit at Bhoirymbong, which is expected to become the largest organic spice industrial unit in North East India.
The officials also held strategic discussions with the Megha-LAMP core team before meeting Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Chief Secretary Dr. Shakil P Ahammed.
Regional Director Reehana Raza noted that IFAD has maintained a partnership with Meghalaya for nearly two decades and said long-term collaborations are essential for sustainable investments that support small farmers and rural communities.
On Thursday, the IFAD team is scheduled to visit Jirang in Ri Bhoi District, including the Pineapple Processing Unit, Jirang PRIME Hub, model farms and the Jirang Organic Agro Farmers Producer Company Limited to interact with farmers and entrepreneurs.
The externally aided Megha-LAMP project focuses on improving rural livelihoods, strengthening community institutions, promoting value addition and expanding market access for farmers and producer groups across Meghalaya.