Nagaland Food & Feed LINK 2.0 workshop in Kohima focused on rural enterprises, renewable energy and livelihoods.
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Dr. Rhutso pitches entrepreneurship as Nagaland’s future engine
DIMAPUR — A state-level workshop on Nagaland Food & Feed LINK 2.0 was held at Capital Convention Centre, Kohima, on Friday, organised by the Investment & Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN).
According to a DIPR report, Nagaland Food & Feed LINK 2.0 was build on the foundation created during the 2025 state-level workshop, moving from dialogue and value-chain mapping to field-level implementation, enterprise strengthening, and scale-up.
Over the past year, clean energy-enabled interventions across food processing, feed production, fibre-based livelihoods, aquaculture, coffee processing, and credit linkage have demonstrated how decentralised renewable energy can improve productivity, reduce dependence on external inputs, and create income opportunities for rural entrepreneurs and producer groups in Nagaland.
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“N2FL 2.0 will bring together government departments, development partners, financiers, technology providers, entrepreneurs, and community institutions to review progress, identify gaps, and chart the next phase of action.
“The focus will be on scaling successful models, strengthening market and credit linkages, building local capacity, and creating a practical roadmap for energy-enabled food, feed, and livelihood enterprises across Nagaland,” the report stated.
Special guest of the workshop, MLA, Dr. Tseilhoutuo Rhutso congratulated IDAN, CESF, CLEAN, UNDP, and partner institutions for organising the workshop and bringing together a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and action.
Rhutso said the workshop represents a larger vision for the future of Nagaland, “a future where our villages become centres of productivity, where our youth become job creators, where our farmers become entrepreneurs, and where development reaches the grassroots in a sustainable and inclusive manner.”
He said Nagaland is blessed with rich natural resources, hardworking communities, indigenous knowledge systems, and entrepreneurial potential.
“However, for decades, many of our rural economies remained disconnected from technology, finance, markets, and infrastructure. The challenge before us is not the absence of potential, the challenge is creating systems that unlock that potential, that is why initiatives like N2FL are important,” he said.
Rhutso said the programme is demonstrating that development must move beyond policy discussions and reach the field level.
Whether it is food processing, local feed production, coffee value addition, aquaculture, stitching hubs, or renewable energy-based enterprises, he said these are interventions creating impact for communities and are community-driven and locally relevant.
He said the government under the leadership of the chief minister is committed to creating an enabling ecosystem for enterprise development, investment promotion, youth empowerment, and livelihood generation.
However, he said government alone cannot achieve this transformation and stressed the need for partnerships and convergence between government departments, development agencies, financial institutions, technology providers, community organisations, and the private sector.
“Development today requires collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility,” he said.
The MLA also emphasised the importance of credit linkage and enterprise financing. He said many entrepreneurs and farmers in Nagaland have ideas and determination but lack access to capital and market opportunities.
He said the responsibility is to ensure that financial systems become more accessible, responsive, and supportive to grassroots enterprises.
Rhutso also highlighted the role of youths and women, stating that young people in Nagaland are talented, creative, and aspirational.
He said opportunities must be created to allow them to build livelihoods within the state instead of being forced to migrate due to lack of opportunities.
He went on to state that women-led enterprises, self-help groups, and community institutions are already proving that inclusive development is possible when the right support systems are created.
“The future of Nagaland cannot depend only on government jobs. We must build an entrepreneurial economy driven by innovation, local production, value addition, and sustainable enterprises. N2FL 2.0 must therefore become more than a project. It should evolve into a long-term movement for rural economic transformation in Nagaland,” he added.