ZIRO, 26 Sep: Arunachal Pradesh is blessed with immense natural wealth, biodiversity and horticultural resources, and the youths of the state should embrace innovation, entrepreneurship and technology-driven value addition to harness these natural bounties, Governor KT Parnaik said.
He said this during his visit to Naara Aaba winery in Hong village here in Lower Subansiri district on Saturday.
Interacting with the winery's founder Tage Rita Takhe, along with members of the winery team, the governor commended Takhe for her remarkable entrepreneurial journey and for transforming a local agricultural resource into a nationally recognised brand. He said that Naara Aaba, India's first organic kiwi wine enterprise, stands as a shining example of innovation, perseverance and value addition rooted in local resources.
Appreciating the contribution of the winery towards the rural economy, the governor said that value-addition initiatives such as Naara Aaba strengthen the agricultural ecosystem by ensuring better returns for farmers. He said that Arunachal is among the leading kiwi-producing regions of the country, and that enterprises that process local produce help prevent wastage while creating new avenues for income generation and employment.
Parnaik further observed that the winery has contributed to promoting tourism in the scenic Ziro valley and has showcased Arunachal's unique agricultural and entrepreneurial potential to the rest of the country and beyond.
The governor emphasised that the future belongs to those who can convert local strengths into sustainable enterprises, creating jobs for themselves and also for their communities.
The governor said that Takhe's success demonstrates how determination, knowledge and spirit of innovation can transform challenges into opportunities. He expressed confidence that such inspiring ventures would motivate more young entrepreneurs, particularly women, to take up enterprise development and contribute to the vision of a self-reliant and economically vibrant Arunachal.
The governor wished the Naara Aaba team continued success in its efforts to promote local products, support farming communities and carry the story of Arunachal to national and international markets.
Takhe briefed the governor on the winery. Established with the vision of creating a market for the region's abundant kiwi produce, the winery has emerged as a successful model of agri-based entrepreneurship, supporting local farmers and generating livelihood opportunities.
The enterprise was founded to address the challenge of unsold kiwi fruits, and has since created sustainable market linkages for growers across the region. (Lok Bhavan)
