Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, AUGUST 31
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Jaco Cilliers today graced the 6th UNDP project steering committee meeting of the ‘Sustainable Land and Ecosystem Management in Shifting Cultivation Areas of Nagaland for Ecological and Livelihood Security’ held at the De Oriental Grand, Kohima.
The Nagaland government has been implementing this UNDP supported GEF financed project since 2009 to strengthen the livelihoods of communities that practice jhum or shifting cultivation, with the department of Soil & Water Conservation as the nodal department.
On the occasion, Cilliers and Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC) Nagaland, T Imkonglemba Ao released the technical reports on market study ‘Market Development Assessment for Organic Agri-Horticulture Produce’, and legal and policy study ‘Legal Response to Institutionalizing Participatory Land Use Planning in Nagaland’.
These reports are expected to guide the state government in improving its understanding of the current market scenario and identify strategies for supporting producers and agencies associated with crops cultivated in jhum fields, and also recommend strategies for sustainable jhum practices into existing legal and policy framework of Nagaland. The studies were carried out in the three UNDP project districts of Wokha, Mokokchung and Mon.
During the meeting, the UNDP Nagaland team presented an overview of the project (in three project districts) and highlighted its major achievements. According to the team, the project has introduced informed decision making by traditional institutions on land management systems through Participatory Land Use Plans (PLUP) and the codification of land use decisions in a formalized context has led to a platform on community land use decision.
It was informed that PLUP has helped to address conservation challenges including rampant burning of jhum fields, protection of forest and water bodies, land degradation etc.
The team highlighted that Land Use Committees have been formed in 35 villages to ensure implementation of PLUP and to create an enabling environment for improved local ecosystem and livelihood. They observed that community acceptance was generated by working in partnership with traditional institutions. The horticulture, agro-forestry plantations and soil and water conservation measures are reported to have improved the vegetation cover by over 2000 hectares of land in the project areas, while the soil erosion rate was decreased by 20.20 mt/ha/year.
The UNDP state team also informed that there has been an increase in income of 4880 women by 20-25% as a result of sale of organic farm produce from jhum fields. Increase in average income of 6724 households by 25% annually through access to credit facilities, agriculture revolving fund and sales from increased yield of the jhum fields was also recorded.
Besides these, the inclusion of women in Land Use Committees is considered a milestone achievement towards empowering them to contribute in larger decision making processes. This inclusion of women in decision making bodies related to land use planning, management, evaluation and monitoring is reportedly a first of its kind in Nagaland.
The team also gave a report on the status of the progress of action taken, challenges and key activities planned for 2015.
A presentation on the findings of the socio-economic and ecological impact study of the GOI-UNDP-GEF project was delivered by InsPIRE lead consultant, KM Jayahari while a presentation on mainstreaming strategies for sustainable jhum practices into existing legal and policy framework of Nagaland was given by Indian Environment Law Office (IELO) legal consultant, Shawahiq Siddiqui.
Earlier, the welcome address and remarks on the project was given by National Project Director, M Limameren Ao.
In the afternoon session, a meeting on UNDP Development Support Services (DSS) was held wherein the Country Director highlighted the DSS aim to help improve the administrative efficiency and effectiveness of government operations and schemes at both the central and state levels. He cited that some central funds are not utilized and are returned to Delhi for non-utilization due to failure to draw up proposals and implement them. He informed that through the DSS, the UNDP helps in efficient implementation of programs and schemes with existing state or central funds.
UNDP Delhi program analyst, Lianchawii gave a detailed presentation on DSS. UNDP’s Country Programme Action Plan (2013-2017) signed with the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance enables UNDP to support administrative efficiency and develop capacities of government agencies, by providing demand-based development support services, including procurement support services, with requisite professional skills, personnel and technical resources, with applicable UNDP’s standard management fee. DSS can be bilateral support services to the government using governments’ own funds at either central or state level and/or multilateral support services to the government using donor funds.
Earlier in the morning session, 10 project farmers from the three project districts shared their experiences and interacted with the officials. Administrative heads of departments and HoDs from stakeholding departments including the Agri and allied sector attended the day-long programme.
