The Friday Field Day Mission in Pakyong District has grown into one of Sikkim’s most inspiring grassroots success stories, blending environmental restoration with community participation. Introduced under the Connect Earth Programme by the Rural Development Department (RDD) of Sikkim, the mission began as a humble effort to make people reconnect with their land and work collectively to revive abandoned fields. Every Friday, officials from the Office of the Additional District Collector (Development), Pakyong, along with Panchayat leaders, line department staff, farmers, and local youth, gather on neglected plots to contribute their labour, share farming knowledge, and bring dead soil back to life.
In just one year, this consistent effort has converted more than 300 acres of barren and fallow land into productive farmlands, many of which are now thriving with millet cultivation and other organic crops. The Friday Field Day Mission has not only improved food production and rural livelihoods but has also become a symbol of Sikkim’s commitment to Green Sikkim and the Sikkim Organic Mission, showing how people’s collective will can heal the land and secure a sustainable future for the coming generations.
Launched by the Rural Development Department (RDD), Government of Sikkim, the mission is coordinated by the Additional District Collector (Development), Mr Robin Pd Sewa, Pakyong District, with close support from Panchayats (rural local bodies) and several line departments.
Reconnecting with the Five Elements
The Connect Earth Programme, under which the mission runs, is based on the ancient Indian principle of balancing the five natural elements—Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space. The programme seeks to link environmental sustainability with human welfare, reminding people that nurturing nature is equal to nurturing lives.
Friday Field Day is a key component of this programme. Every Friday, government officials, local Panchayat members, and villagers gather on identified barren lands and work together to make the land fertile and productive again. This collective effort not only revives the soil but also rebuilds community ownership over natural resources.
The Sweat Contribution Centre at Samsing
On the 50th Friday, Panchayat President, along with Panchayat members of Chalamthang Pacheykhani GPU, visited the Connect Earth Sweat Contribution Centre at Samsing in Pakyong.
These Sweat Contribution Centres are symbolic sites where volunteers physically contribute their labour — or “sweat” — towards rejuvenating unused land. Instead of relying solely on machinery, the initiative encourages manual work as a symbol of respect for the Earth. Tools, compost, seeds, and water are pooled by departments and villagers, while the people contribute their energy and time.
Agriculture Rising Again in Pakyong
The Office of the ADC (Development), Pakyong District shared that this sustained effort has successfully transformed more than 300 acres of barren and fallow land into fertile farmland. Many of these fields are now being used for millet cultivation — a climate-resilient crop that grows well on hilly slopes and requires less water.
Promoting millets has a deeper purpose: the State government is working to make Sikkim a model of nutritious and sustainable farming. Millets, often called “smart foods,” are rich in nutrients and grow well without chemical fertilisers. The Friday Field Day Mission has therefore become a launchpad for a quiet millet farming revolution in Pakyong.
Part of the ‘Green Sikkim’ Vision
This entire effort aligns with the larger vision of “Green Sikkim”, which seeks to protect the Himalayan ecology while ensuring food security and rural income.
Sikkim, declared India’s first fully organic state in 2016 under the Sikkim Organic Mission, has already banned chemical fertilisers and pesticides. The Friday Field Day Mission adds to this legacy by showing that community participation can restore degraded land and make farming profitable again.
Rural Development Sikkim’s Model of People’s Power
The Rural Development Department (RDD) of Sikkim conceived the Connect Earth Programme as a people-led climate and livelihood solution. By involving local Panchayats and villagers every week, the programme has rekindled interest in farming among rural youth, created employment opportunities, and strengthened food self-sufficiency in the district. Rather than depending on external contractors, the mission thrives on the “self-help” model, where people build their future with their own hands — quite literally.
A Silent Revolution with Loud Impact
Fifty consecutive weeks of voluntary labour, collective planning, and soil revival have changed the landscape of Pakyong. Once-abandoned hillsides now hold lush green fields of maize, vegetables, and millets. Water harvesting pits, organic composting pits, and fencing works have sprung up, adding to the sustainability of the programme. Each Friday has become a festival of community spirit, where the government and the governed stand side by side as equals, united by the soil beneath their feet.
The Office of the ADC (Development), Pakyong District has urged all departments, Panchayats, and individuals to continue their contribution to the mission so that more barren land can be reclaimed in the coming months. With climate change threatening Himalayan agriculture, the Connect Earth Programme offers a model of resilience: reviving land, restoring ecosystems, and renewing hope.
As Sikkim marches towards its Green Sikkim dream, the Friday Field Day Mission of Pakyong has proven that sustainable development begins not in boardrooms, but in the fields — with hands in the soil and hearts in the future.
🔗 For detailed weekly updates and photographs of all 50 episodes, visit facebook page of Govt Of Sikkim
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