In India, the Northeastern region is quite charming and interesting enough to be known about. Among the eight Northeastern States, Meghalaya is basically an agricultural state in which about 80 per cent of its population depends primarily on agriculture for their livelihood. The State has a vast potential for the development of horticulture, due to the agroclimatic variations, which offer much scope for cultivation of temperate, sub-tropical and tropical fruits and vegetables. Besides major food crops of rice and maize, Meghalaya is renowned for its oranges, pineapples, bananas, jackfruits fruits, temperate fruits, like plum, pear and peach, etc. Cash crops, popularly and traditionally cultivated include, potato, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, arecanut, betelvine, tapioca, short staple cotton, jute and mesta, mustard and rapeseed. Special emphasis is presently being laid on non-traditional crops like oilseeds (groundnut, soyabean and sunflower), cashewnut, strawberry, tea and coffee, mushroom, medicinal plants, orchids and commercial flowers.
Meghalaya was created as an autonomous state within the State of Assam on 2 April 1970. The full-fledged State of Meghalaya came into existence on 21 January 1972. It is bound on north and east by Assam and on south and west by Bangladesh. Meghalaya, which literally means 'the Abode of Clouds' is essentially a hilly state. It is predominately inhabited by Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribe communities. The Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, which form the central and eastern part of Meghalaya, from an imposing plateau with rolling grassland, hills and river valleys. The southern face of the plateau is marked by deep gorges and abrupt slopes, at the foot of which, a narrow strip of plain land runs along the international border with Bangladesh. |
