On April 25, 2025, a group of 85 students from Great Commission Higher Secondary School, Chümoukedima, accompanied by four faculty members, undertook an educational tour to the School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University (SAS, NU), Medziphema Campus. The visit was part of their academic exposure programme, aimed at providing the students with a firsthand understanding of agricultural education, research initiatives, and extension activities being undertaken at the school.
The educational tour began with a visit to the SAS Library, where the students were introduced to the library’s infrastructure, including the online book issue system, a wide collection of academic books and journals, and a walkthrough of the in-house recording studio that supports educational content development. The students then proceeded to the SAS Museum, which features an impressive display of seeds from various food crops, indigenous crop varieties, traditional farming tools, and information on the rich agricultural biodiversity of Nagaland. The museum visit was both informative and engaging, especially as it helped connect classroom learning to real-world biodiversity and traditional knowledge systems.
To further enhance their educational experience, the students visited the All India Coordinated Research Project on Honeybee and Pollinators where they learned about the vital role of bees in agriculture, including pollination, ecological balance, types of bees, rearing methods and the benefits of honey. The interactive session deepened their understanding of pollinator conservation and sustainable farming.The tour continued to the Horticulture Research Farm, where students explored various fruit trees, spices and greenhouse units. The hands-on exposure to horticultural practices and protected cultivation sparked great interest among the students.
Furthermore, the students had the opportunity to engage with the technical staff at the STINER-TFC, where an overview of their key activities was presented, highlighting how local innovations and applied technologies are improving livelihoods and addressing regional challenges. The visit concluded with a live demonstration of banana fibre extraction, a sustainable process that showcased the potential of agricultural waste as a resource, reinforcing the concept of green and circular economies.
The trip was a valuable and enriching experience, offering students deeper insight into agricultural sciences, biodiversity, and sustainability. The faculty and staff at SAS appreciated the opportunity to host such an eager group and look forward to future educational exchanges.
The visit was coordinated by Dr. Noyingthung Kikon, Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Dr. Kevinetuo Bier, Assistant Professor, Department of Soil Science, SAS, NU, Medziphema Campus.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by MT staff and is published as received.)