INR 612 crore project to boost Nagaland’s jhum cultivation

Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Jan. 19: Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Saturday launched the INR 612.42 crore-worth Fostering Climate Resilient Upland Agriculture Systems (Focus) project in Dimapur. The project is a six years’ (2018 to 2023) investment, by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad).

The official launch of the Ifad’s Focus comes after the announcement that was made in 2017 during a two-day conference on ‘sustainable management of jhum (in the Northeast Indian region)’ in Dimapur, and the signing of an agreement on Jan. 25 2018.

Rio, the chief patron of Focus, remarked that the launch of the project in Nagaland was at the right time as ‘it was our dream that somebody come and rescue us from our problems.’

The chief minister, in his address, admitted that he faces awkward questions on state’s economy; and that Nagaland is a consumer and not a producing-state. “All the vehicles that enter Nagaland come loaded and leaves empty. Northeast is rich but we remain poor as we fail to exploit the available resources”, Rio said.

Rio was critical of the various centrally sponsored schemes in the state, which he said was confusing the farmers. “Instead of the manifold CSS programmes, coming together is important under the guidance of IFAD as there has been various programmes carried by the state which have failed”, Rio said.

“The farmers need guidance and for them to be successful, the implementing agency should work together for them to trust and make a holistic approach,” he shared while imploring Ifad to make the project a success story and produce substantially for the people through the farmers.

The chief minister suggested for a policy on price protection while stating it was always the middlemen who benefits; and also not to confuse the farmers with manifold programmes.

“I believe in my farmers, let us commit ourselves for our farmers and build trust with them so that people identify Nagaland for our production and not for the myth of disturbed area which is history,” Rio said. Also, he assured that the timely release of fund should not be a problem.

Minister of Agriculture G Kaito Aye, in his keynote address, said since the formation of the state of Nagaland, agriculture sector had no externally aided project and thus Ifad-funded project will boost the agriculture economy of the state, especially on improving jhum—the occupation of 70% of the rural population.

“It is hoped that farmers will have a paradigm shift from subsistence agriculture to market economy and they will increase their purchasing power and doubling farmers’ income,” Aye expressed.

According to the minister, since statehood successive agriculture scientist have tried to improve the agriculture economy of the state. However, the rural population which consist of more than 70% of the state’s total, may not have appreciated the modern technology introduced by the scientist, he said.

“The Naga farmers were more worried about their sustainable level and must have inherited deep traditional knowledge for the local indigenous crops. It is therefore pertinent to take this traditional knowledge into consideration while implementing the Focus project,” Aye opined.

He committed to support the implementation of Focus project and to provide the state’s share of convergence fund.

The State Project Director of Focus Nagaland, Angelina Tajen highlighted that the objectives of the project was to increase agricultural income of 1, 37,000 households and increase their resilience to climate change; gender mainstreaming in the project and strengthen capacities of govt. and local stakeholders for climate smart agriculture and inter-sectoral coordination.

The geographic target are 650 villages in Mon, Longleng, Zunheboto, Wokha, Kiphire, Phek, Mokokchung and Kohima. The project is represented by the district level committee with deputy commissioner as the chairman and district level implementation committee with district agriculture officer as the chairman.

Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC) and Secretary and mission director of Focus, T Imkonglemba Ao spoke on the ‘scope of convergence with agri allied sectors’. Presenting on the fund flow mechanism of state’s contribution, he said the APC will dovetail the funds of CSS and its own share towards those schemes for the project districts. The beneficiaries’ contribution will be in kind (labour provided by the beneficiaries).