Experience A Day In The Organic Farms At Agro-Farming In Dzuleke, Nagaland

Summer breaks are when you should venture out of the box, try out things, explore and experience the best of nature. If you haven’t already planned your summer holidays, we have got one that’s going to make you feel happy, fulfilled and definitely more positive.

Agro-farming experience in Dzuleke – that focuses on reconnecting with nature and spreading awareness about organic agriculture and much more. Started on June 1st, this event is on till the end of June. Head out to Dzuleke, 38 kms away from the capital Kohima, to make sure you don’t miss out on this! Scroll down to get more details about the event.

We had a chat with Asu Jamir, a member of the organising team, to know everything about the Agro-farming experience in Dzuleke.

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Official Poster of the event, “Agro Farming Experience in Dzuleke”

Tell us about the event, ‘Agro-Farming Experience in Dzuleke’.

At Agro-Farming, we let people experience the authentic rural lifestyle with their family and friends at Dzuleke, Nagaland. It’s an opportunity for both young and old to experience the rich diversity of our agricultural fields. It’s the refreshing ambiance of the farms, farm-fresh food and the sprawling organic farmland away from the hustle-bustle of the cities that makes this event stand out and a must visit for people.

What’s special about the Agro-farming experience and what do we get to see during the event?

It’s simply being one with nature and completely immersing yourself in an authentic rural lifestyle that makes Agro-farming experience stand out. It also aims to empower the small farmers by integrating tourism activities into small farms, so that there may be an alternate means of income for the farmers community. This will also help in keeping the traditional means of farming alive and preserved while maintaining organic and environmentally friendly farming methods.

To make this program more accessible for kids, we have got special packages for school children. It’s a way to learn beyond textbook knowledge and about the importance of organic agriculture. It’s also an opportunity for people to learn more about sustainability and seasonality, plant anatomy and identification, while picking fruits and tasting veggies along the way!

The view of the farm at Dzuleke, Nagaland

A local lady working in the field

Is this going to be an annual event?

It may probably become an annual event.

Is there an option for staying at the event too?

Travelers who are interested to spend the night at the village can stay at one of the 5 homestays at the village namely : Anisie Homestay, Kevi Homestay, Sotuno Homestay, Zevino Homestay and Tuseii Homestay. For visitors looking to experience and learn about Naga culture, Dzüleke Homestays provides a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich and diverse culture of the Nagas as well as for the host family to learn about the visitors’ unique culture.

What to experience during your stay: Basic comfort; Authentic Naga cuisine and culture; Interaction with local community and immersive learning experience.

What not to expect during your stay: Five star hotel facilities; Running water in the bathroom and European toilets; 24 hour convenience of cities.

The host families are not professionally trained in the hotel service or tourism industry and have been encouraged to avoid altering their lifestyles to suit guest’s needs, which means guests will have a simple, comfortable and homely experience.

Tariff: Rs. 700 per person per night | Rs. 1200 for double occupancy (this includes at least a round tea/coffee). Non-veg meal: Rs. 250 per person| Veg meal: Rs. 200 per person; Breakfast: Rs. 50/-

What are some of the activities provided for visitors?

While at the farm, people can indulge in these various activities, all of which are aimed to help them connect with nature!

Trekking: The best way to enjoy a stay in Dzuleke is to stay overnight at one of the homestays and trek in the wilderness and experience the beauty of nature. Dzuleke offers three basic trekking routes. The trails range from 5-8 kms.

Picnic: A wonderful way to enjoy a beautiful day far away from busy life in the cities.

Camping: Camp outdoors at designated camping sites for a thrilling experience. Basic camping equipment are available on rent.

Bird and butterfly watching is also available. Dzüleke is home to a variety of wildlife including the Barking Deer, Civet Cat, Macaque and Clouded Leopard. Also, taste and enjoy authentic Naga cuisine prepared using organic ingredients. Reconnect yourself with nature!

Any instructions or advice for the visitors and what’s the fee?

Here are some of the things visitors must keep in mind:

Timing starts from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

We offer two types and price of package: I. Family/ Group Package (4 pax) – Rs. 2000 Inclusive of meals, tea and field tour. II. Special Student Package for schools – Rs.450 per student Inclusive of meals, tea and field tour

Tour coverage: For the Dzuleke Agro-Farming experience, there will be a local guide at the village who will help you familiarize with the basics of the economy and farming methods and practices of the villagers.

Suggested Itinerary: • Tea and light snacks on arrival • Briefing of activities to be undertaken throughout the day • Guided farm tour at the: I. Potato and cabbage field II. Wet terrace rice fields III. Vegetable/homestead garden • Traditional lunch made from home grown or locally sourced ingredients at the field hut.

Additional costs: • Transport • Accommodation (optional)

Activities to be carried out in the field: • Harvesting of cabbage or beans (3rd week of June onwards) • Transplanting of rice saplings in the terrace fields (1st and 2nd week of June) • Collect fresh veggies from the vegetable garden • Sowing/intercultural operations • Learn about the traditional farming methods of the villagers • Learn about the traditional tools used for farming by the villagers

Some essentials to carry: • Hat • Boots • Long sleeve shirt • Water bottle • Sunscreen

The cabbage farm at Dzuleke, Nagaland

Advisory :

Farming experience and availability of crops largely depend on the seasonality. Hence, farm tours will be organized accordingly.
Activities will be carried out according to the stage of crops in the field.
The ride from Kohima to Dzuleke is 38 kms, which will approximately take you about 1 hour 30 minutes to reach Dzuleke. Hence, we advise you to depart from Kohima accordingly and reach on time.
We advise you to carry your own drinking water bottle instead of disposable mineral drinking water to avoid unnecessary accumulation of plastic waste in the village. We encourage you to leave nothing behind but your footprints. Extra drinking water will be available at the village for refill.
There is very poor network connectivity in the village. Hence, we advise you to make the necessary transport arrangements for your ride back to Kohima.
Wear comfortable shoes as you will spend most of your day in the field.
We expect all travelers to respect the community and not alter their lifestyle to meet guests’ needs.
Be a responsible traveler and enjoy an immersive experience.

Please share location details, how to get there and contact details.

Location: Dzüleke Village. It is 38 kms away from Kohima and takes approximately about 1 hour, 30 mins. Tourists can either travel in their own private vehicle or hire a local taxi from Kohima. Contact details : +91 3702260197 | +91 9378124909 (between 9:30 am – 5:30pm)

A signboard to welcome the Visitors to Dzuleke

Can you share a little more about the Community Based Eco-tourism initiative of Dzuleke Village?

The Dzuleke Eco-tourism initiative was started with the aim to conserve the natural resources of the village to achieve sustainable forest management through eco-tourism. In order to take this mission forward, the Dzuleke Eco-tourism Board (DETB) was constituted. As a part of the initiative, DETB is promoting homestay facilities and other tourist attractions. The revenue generated from tourism activities will directly go to the service providers; a small percentage will go to the Dzuleke Eco-Tourism Board (DETB) for the Dzuleke Development Fund to support ongoing training, trail and facility maintenance and village development activities.

[The North East Initiative Development Agency (NEIDA) (www.neida.org.in) is the facilitating agency of the project with funding support from the Tata Trusts]