Meghalaya Governor C.H. Vijayashankar on Monday urged policymakers and experts to adopt a long-term approach that ensures agricultural land remains dedicated to farming and that technological advancements benefit even the remotest villages.

Inaugurating the Regional Agri Fair 2025–26 at the College of Agriculture, Kyrdemkulai, Ri-Bhoi district, Vijayshankar recalled his rural and agricultural background, he highlighted how traditional farming systems and rural industries once enabled villages to remain self-sufficient.

Voicing concern that rural economies have become dependent on urban centres, calling it an unhealthy trend for national development, the Governor said that with nearly 70 per cent of India’s population living in rural areas and dependent on agriculture, it is essential to safeguard both farmers’ interests and agricultural land.

Proposing categorising agricultural land into irrigated land, horticulture land, fertile land, and dry land, Vijayshankar said that any non-agricultural land acquisition should begin only from dry land, and that irrigated and horticulture land must be strictly protected.

He urged policymakers and experts to adopt a long-term approach that ensures agricultural land remains dedicated to farming and that technological advancements benefit even the remotest villages.

The Governor praised Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal for its contribution to agricultural development across the seven Northeastern states through its 13 constituent colleges, KVKs, and research centres.

He welcomed the initiative to develop a Vision Document for Agricultural Transformation in Northeast India by 2047, calling it a step toward creating a modern, sustainable, and globally competitive agricultural sector.

Vijayshankar urged all stakeholders to work collectively toward building an agricultural ecosystem that is inclusive and innovation-driven, ensuring that every farmer - especially the smallest and most marginalized - benefits from schemes, research findings, and new technologies.

He assured that any suggestion emerging from the Agri Fair that can benefit Meghalaya will be welcomed by the Raj Bhavan and the State Government.

The Governor congratulated the organisers and hoped that the fair would lead to meaningful outcomes that strengthen the agricultural framework of the entire Northeastern Region.

The fair is being organised by the CAU, Imphal, in collaboration with the union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.

The Governor praised Meghalaya as a land of Ayurveda, natural beauty, and positive energy, inhabited by people who live in harmony with nature.