INTACH Nagaland Chapter announces the North East Festival of Rice to celebrate indigenous heritage in Chümoukedima.
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DIMAPUR — The INTACH Nagaland Chapter has announced the first-ever "North East Festival of Rice: Grains of Heritage", a three-day event from February 26 to the 28th at the Agri Expo in Chümoukedima.
The event brings together communities from Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura to celebrate rice as the heart of indigenous culture and sustainable living.
The announcement was made by State Convener of INTACH Nagaland Sentila T Yanger at a press conference held at the Agri Expo on Wednesday. The festival is being organised in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, ICAR, and NEZCC.
She said the idea of the festival was conceptualised in 2019 but was delayed due to COVID. The team decided to revive it in 2025 to bring the whole of the Northeast together.
“Since we are all rice eaters and we have a common bond in this stable diet, the idea of celebrating rice and bringing the whole Northeast under the fraternity of rice was conceived. We are also looking at a couple of functions around the culture of rice through an exhibition of rice from various states of the Northeast, and we are also looking at a market and food, naturally, on rice," she said.
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Yanger said the participation of schoolchildren is another focus to help them appreciate the culture and heritage of rice. Over 150 farmers will participate and attend the seminar sessions.
Thangi Mannen, a member of the INTACH Nagaland chapter, underscored that the festival also looks at climate change and global warming, which she felt was impacting the agriculture sector severely.
She drew attention to the fact that some indigenous rice is slowly disappearing and noted that the import of rice from outside the state is not suited to the local climate. She observed that indigenous rice varieties in Nagaland are struggling to survive, leading to a risk of extinction. Preserving these varieties is a key discussion topic for the upcoming seminar.
She stressed that preserving indigenous rice is crucial for livelihoods, as many farmers depend on it. According to her, imported varieties may not thrive due to different requirements.
The festival will focus on understanding and conserving indigenous rice species, highlighting the importance of preserving agricultural heritage. The showcase of rice varieties from different states will highlight the versatility of rice and allow people to learn unique regional uses.
Team member SS Harish informed that INTACH will involve school children in on-the-spot painting, poster making, and essay writing competitions to raise awareness on rice cultivation for students from classes 7 to 9.