Nagaland University Partners with Japanese Farms for Student Internships

Kohima: Nagaland University signed agreements on Wednesday to launch one-year agricultural internships in Japan. The deal links the university with Kumugai Farm Co., Ltd. in Tokushima Prefecture and Hagumi Farm Co., Ltd. in Kochi Prefecture. Officials held the signing at the School of Agricultural Sciences in Medziphema.

Students from the Department of Vocational Studies and Skill Development will travel to Japan for the 12-month program. They will gain hands-on training in modern farming. The university will handle student selection and credit recognition. This training counts toward their academic curriculum.

Pauline Alila, dean of the school, opened the ceremony. She highlighted the value of international cooperation. “This collaboration reflects our common aspiration for innovation and knowledge exchange,” she said. The event featured representatives from the Government of Nagaland, the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland, and university officials.

Takeo Kumagai of Kumugai Farm and Yamamoto Seiya of Hagumi Farm joined the talks. Kumagai suggested the deal will grow over time. He expects it to create more jobs and strengthen ties between the two regions. Seiya noted that the project focuses on mutual learning. He hopes to combine Japanese precision with local resources to improve farm productivity.

Dipak Sinha, pro vice-chancellor of the Medziphema campus, closed the event. He requested that the partners look into online programs to teach students about Japanese agricultural technology. The school aims to use these internships to bridge the gap between classroom theory and global career demands.