Supongnukshi Ao and others during the release of the booklet
"Wild Biodiversity of Chizami Village" on March 8.
- DIMAPUR — North
East Network (NEN) held its 16th Biodiversity Festival at the NEN Resource
Centre, Chizami village, on the theme “Nurturing health, well-being, and
resilience: sustaining our future together” on March 6 and 7.
- Also commemorating NEN’s 30th anniversary, the event brought
together 487 participants over two days, according to a press release.
- The festival explored the connections between biodiversity,
local food systems, health, and indigenous traditional knowledge, highlighting
the vital role of women in preserving this knowledge and promoting sustainable
practices.
- Chief Conservator of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,
and Member Secretary of the Nagaland State Biodiversity Board, Supongnukshi Ao,
addressed the second day of the Biodiversity Festival as guest of honour.
- He highlighted the mandate of the Nagaland State
Biodiversity Board, its interdepartmental approach, and commitment to community
engagement. He pointed out that central government policies alone are
insufficient, advocating for localised solutions informed by indigenous
knowledge.
- Ao further expressed deep concern over climate change's
impact on Nagaland's agrarian communities, noting decreasing rainfall and
rising temperatures.
- He warned of the threat to traditional farming practices and
livelihoods, urging communities to safeguard water, land, and forests. He
further highlighted the loss of biodiversity due to unsustainable resource use,
calling for collective action to preserve Nagaland's natural heritage. He
encouraged active community participation in government-led conservation
initiatives.
- Dr. Roshmi Goswami, NEN's founding member, stressed
biodiversity's vital link to Naga identity, rooted in forests, land, and water.
She recounted NEN's origins in 1994 with Monisha Behal, focusing on women's
health and shared visions.
- She stressed that the sustainability of community life is
inextricably linked to the health of the land. Therefore, communities must
rethink and re-evaluate development narratives, questioning whether they serve
the interests of the few or the broader community. She asserted that
biodiversity is not merely a resource but a way of life, demanding respect and
upholding principles of justice and peaceful coexistence.
