Guwahati: A tribal turmeric farmer from Meghalaya, Trinity Saioo was honoured by Assam's NGO, Balipara Foundation. Saioo, who hails from West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, was honoured with India's fourth-highest civilian honour, Padma Shri.
The Balipara Foundation issued a statement on Sunday and stated, "This year's Annual Balipara Foundation Awards jointly went to Trinity Saioo and Association for Environmental Preservation, Mizoram, for work in organic farming and conservation action for wildlife respectively."
A 52-year-old woman Saioo is credited with spearheading the women-led turmeric farming movement in the state. The statement said that Saioo's movement has allowed the women farmers to triple their income. "From a modest start in 2003 with 25 other farmer women, Saioo's self-help group (SHG) farmer collective has now grown to around 800 women farmers in Meghalaya, all of whom farm organically and cultivate Lakadong turmeric," added the statement.
Saioo has also helped women with organic certification, marketing and documentation, and have done a lot more for the womenfolk.
The Association for Environmental Preservation (Mizoram) has been working towards conserving wildlife and biodiversity.
The statement by the Balipara Foundation stated, "From carrying out activities that would advocate for conservation, the organisation also works towards developing plans to address matters of ecological restoration through sustainable development."
The Balipara Foundation also launched two Lifetime Service Awards this year. These two awards celebrate national and international achievements. The international Lifetime Service Award went to Tin Tin Saw from Myanmar. To stop the illegal logging and mining for construction, Tin Tin Saw has started a community forest in her village.
The national Lifetime Service Award was given to the retired professor of Gauhati University, Parimal Chandra Bhattacharjee. He has developed wetland studies, biodiversity studies and primatology in Northeast India.