Chikkamagaluru: From the hills of Nagaland to the plantations of Malnad — the aroma of coffee is now bringing northeast youth to the coffee bowl of India.The two-year Diploma in Coffee Estate Management at the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI, Balehonnur), is gaining national traction. For its second batch, the institute has received students from Nagaland, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, a sharp shift from the first batch that was dominated by locals from Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Kodagu and south Indian states.What makes this batch special is the direct intervention of Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, who personally contacted Coffee Board of India chairperson M J Dinesh seeking training for youth from his state.“Coffee cultivation is expanding rapidly in Nagaland and other northeastern states as an alternative crop. The CM wanted his youth to get scientific training in Chikkamagaluru. Five students from Nagaland had applied, and two got admission in this batch,” Dinesh said.The development comes at a time when coffee prices have hit a record high and the plantation sector is facing an acute shortage of trained managers and supervisors. The diploma was launched last year precisely to fill this gap. The course offers a comprehensive curriculum — from nursery management, plantation management, pest and disease control to post-harvest technology, specialty coffee preparation, marketing and estate accounting.In addition to the diploma, CCRI has also started a certificate course for estate supervisors, aimed at creating mid-level skilled manpower for estates.According to officials, the course follows a ‘crop to cup’ and ‘nursery to specialty coffee’ approach, with theory classes at Balehonnur combined with hands-on field work in the institute’s research estate and laboratories. The institute has collaborated with the Indian Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM, Bengaluru), for academic support.The pan-India interest is not limited to the northeast. With the cultivation of Robusta variety of coffee picking up in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, students from these states have also enrolled for the second batch.“There is huge scope in the coffee industry and we want to expand both area and production. Skilled human resources will play a crucial role,” Dinesh explained.CCRI officials said they plan to upgrade the courses to international standards and a new campus is being established to accommodate more students.
