The 4th edition of the Cucumber Festival in Aliba village, Mokokchung district, received a political boost on Wednesday with the presence of Temjen Imna Along, Minister of Tourism and Higher Education, who announced that the festival will now be included in the official tourism festival itinerary of Nagaland.
“Festivals like the Hornbill are successful due to a fixed date,” Along said, suggesting that the Cucumber Festival adopt a fixed timing on the calendar. He claimed that more dignitaries had intended to attend but were unable to due to “certain circumstances.”
The festival, hosted in a village that has branded itself under the “One Village, One Product” initiative, was lauded by the Minister as a model village. Aliba’s focus on cucumber cultivation aligns with the government’s agriculture policy, which encourages villages to specialize in a single crop for self-reliance and marketability. For instance, Khonoma has a garlic festival, Jakhama a potato festival, and Phek a kiwi or persimmon festival.
Describing this phase as an “incubation period,” Along urged farmers to show “commitment and consistency” and expressed hope that agricultural produce in Nagaland can be transformed into viable cash crops. He warned against the culture of imitation.
“We don’t see success because we only do what others successfully do,” he said.
Along also hailed Aliba village for making Nagaland proud. He said, “hardwork” was the reason why top officials from certain department have been able to visit the village.
“In more than 2000 villages, this is just the beginning of a very long journey for the people of the state of Nagaland”.
He added, “We have a tourism festival itinerary… whether it’s a new Mini Hornbill or Agro-Tourism. So the tourism department has now included the Aliba Cucumber Festival on its circuit itinerary.”
When asked about the advantage of this inclusion, he replied, “You’ll have a bigger platform as the government recognizes it. Tourists are sent here, and then it’s channelized like that.”
Minister Along refuses to comment on ‘147’ row
Although the Minister jokingly referred to the controversy during his speech—saying, “I have come a long way from 147 to Cucumber Festival,” hinting at the strong protest over his department’s decision to regularize 147 contractual teachers and librarians, he refused to comment when questioned directly.
“It is with the High Powered Committee… it is a sub judice matter now. If I make any comments, I will be breaking the rule against the Cabinet decision when a High Power Committee has already been formed to take care of the matter,” he said.
Tungden Ki inaugurated
Following the inauguration of the Cucumber Festival, Minister Temjen Imna Along and Advisor Mhathung Yanthan also inaugurated a newly constructed shelter housing the largest log drum in the village.
Speaking at the event, the Tourism Minister recalled that during a visit last year, one of his department directors had photographed the log drum and remarked on its dilapidated shelter.
“That’s when the department, though small, decided to build a proper structure to protect and preserve the log drum,” the Minister said.
“Synonym for the pride of the State”, says Advisor Mhathung Yanthan
Gracing the Cucumber Festival at Aliba village as the Guest of Honour, Advisor Mhathung Yanthan called Aliba “a synonym for the pride of the state.”
According to Yanthan, the village has already become synonymous with cucumber and he congratulated the community for its innovation and hard work.
He noted that Aliba has demonstrated how agriculture can provide both identity and economic value, adding that the sweet cucumber has become “a symbol of agricultural transformation.”
“The Government of Nagaland is very proud,” Yanthan told the villagers. He also emphasized the need for business-oriented agricultural practices, underscoring the importance of market linkages and market intelligence.
Stating that the future lies in innovation, he stressed the need to increase productivity per unit area.