Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Wednesday inaugurated the Common Facility Centre (CFC) for Banana Pseudostem Utilization and Value-Added Product Development under the NECTAR Livelihood Improvement Project – A Value Chain on Utilization of Banana Pseudostem for Value-Added Products, established at Zuangleng, Serchhip District.

The project is funded by the Ministry of DoNER under the PM-DevINE scheme and implemented by the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR). The inaugural programme was graced by Agriculture Minister PC Vanlalruata, Satinder Kumar Bhalla, Secretary, NEC, and Lt. Col. Lalhmingthanga, MLA, among others.

The Chief Minister first attended a brief function at the Serchhip DC Conference Hall, followed by the inauguration at the project site in Zuangleng.

In his address, Chief Minister Lalduhoma stated that the Zuangleng area and its surrounding villages have an abundant growth of banana and wild banana plants. The presence of such natural resources, he said, encouraged NECTAR to set up this processing unit. He expressed optimism that through this project, banana pseudostems — which are often discarded as waste — could now be transformed into valuable, income-generating products for the local community.

The Chief Minister conveyed his gratitude to the Ministry of DoNER for their continuous support and appreciated the commendable initiatives of NECTAR in promoting technological advancement and sustainable livelihood opportunities across the North Eastern Region, including Mizoram. He also expressed hope that the Implementing Agency – APRINS, Guwahati – would manage the unit efficiently and ensure active participation from local workers and entrepreneurs.

Agriculture Minister PC Vanlalruata, who also addressed the gathering, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Ministry of DoNER and NECTAR for their initiative in establishing the unit in Mizoram. He stated that the project would greatly benefit farmers in and around the region by creating new avenues for income generation through the productive use of banana pseudostems. He encouraged local farmers to take full advantage of the opportunity and participate actively in the venture.

The Common Facility Centre aims to produce value-added products such as fibre-based handicrafts, handmade paper, vermicompost, and vegan leather from banana pseudostems. NECTAR, an autonomous institution under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, has been working extensively across the North East to promote livelihood improvement through advanced and sustainable technologies.

During the function, Paul L. Khuma, Deputy Commissioner of Serchhip, delivered the welcome address, while Dr. Collin Z. Renthlei, Technical Advisor, NECTAR, proposed the vote of thanks to all stakeholders, marking the conclusion of the inaugural event.