The “Technology and Machinery Demonstration Mela 2025” for farmers of the NEH Region was organized on March 21, 2025, at the Agricultural Engineering Section, Division of System Research and Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, under the AICRP on FIM scheme, in collaboration with the AICRP on FIM scheme. The event was successfully organized and coordinated by Dr. Hijam Jiten Singh, Dr. Huidrom Dayananda Singh, and Dr. Naseeb Singh. The mela featured an exhibition showcasing improved farm tools and machinery suitable for hill agriculture, along with field demonstrations of various implements and technologies. Additionally, a farmer-scientist interaction session provided a platform for insightful discussions and knowledge exchange.
        A total of 171 participants, including 121 farmers from the Ri Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, and Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya, actively participated in the event. Farmers showed great enthusiasm during the demonstrations of improved farm tools and machinery, such as manual seed planters/drills, maize shellers, mechanized turmeric processing systems, mushroom bag-making machines, banana fiber extraction machines, and agri-drones for spraying agrochemicals. Many farmers expressed keen interest in small power tillers, plastic-lined water harvesting ponds, and low-cost net houses and polyhouses for off-season vegetable and flower cultivation. Post-harvest technologies, particularly turmeric slicing and grinding, banana fiber extraction from pseudo stems, and mushroom bag-making, were among the main attractions, as turmeric, banana, and mushroom cultivation are widely practiced in Meghalaya.