NECTAR to Produce Vegan Leather from Banana, Convert 25,000 Acres to Organic Farms in North-East

In an exclusive interaction with Business North East (BNE), Arun Kumar Sarma, Director General of the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), revealed two transformative initiatives that aim to revolutionise rural livelihoods and organic farming across the North-East under the PM-DevINE scheme.

The first initiative, ‘Privacy Development Initiative’, leverages the 100 per cent utilisation of banana plant technology, a concept being operationalised through 12 integrated processing plants across the region. The flagship facility has already commenced in Boko, Assam, with others in Chümoukedima (Nagaland), Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh), Agartala (Tripura), Ri-Bhoi (Meghalaya), and Serchhip (Mizoram). Each plant comes with an investment of approximately Rs 5.3 crore, totalling nearly Rs 70 crore for the full cluster.

"These plants will not only produce banana fibre, organic liquid fertiliser, and biomass, but will also pioneer the production of vegan leather from banana pseudostems. This will be India’s second such facility after Pune, but a first for the North-East," Sarma said.

Additionally, the initiative will also develop banana-based yarn for textile production, digestive juice fusions with ginger, and antibacterial sanitary pads derived from banana fibre, adding immense value to agro-waste and creating green employment in rural sectors.

“The banana fibre-based sanitary pads are not just biodegradable, they are medically tested and proven antibacterial. We see this as both a livelihood and a women’s health intervention,” said Sarma.

In parallel, NECTAR is rolling out a second project aimed at scientific organic farming, through the creation of 250 FarmLabs, each spread over at least one acre of farmer-owned land. These will serve as epicentres of technology-enabled organic transition, impacting a total of 25,000 acres and 25,000 farmers across the Northeast.

“Each FarmLab is a miniature ecosystem of organic transformation. Using satellite data, UAVs, and soil testing, we have already assessed all 25,000 plots. The intervention is completely tailored,” explained Sarma.

The project goes beyond capacity building as it ensures organic certification under both PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) for domestic markets and NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) for international export potential. Already, 39 clusters have received certification, and all 250 are expected to be certified by June 2025.

A standout feature is the integration of blockchain technology to ensure transparency and traceability. Every product will be traceable through QR codes, enabling direct buyer-to-farmer commerce.

“Once you scan the QR code on the organic product, you can view everything from the farm’s soil health report to crop history. It brings trust and removes middlemen,” Sarma emphasised.

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NECTAR also plans to establish organic retail outlets at major airports and key transit points across India to give visibility to the North-East’s organic produce.

“We want people flying through Delhi or Mumbai or foreigners to pick up authentic organic products from the Northeast. This is the branding push North-East farmers have long needed,” added Sarma.

These two initiatives are not just technological upgrades but also represent a paradigm shift in how the North-East is integrating indigenous resources, innovation, and livelihood generation into a sustainable development model.