NET Bureau

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Saturday emphasised on the fusion of agri and allied sector for the success of any scheme for farmers in the State. He said fusion of all line departments in making a scheme successful will pay rich dividends to the farmers.

 Launching the Fostering Climate Resilient Update Farming Systems in the North East (FOCUS-Nagaland) project here, Rio appealed to all line departments to join hands and help farmers in improving their economy and livelihood.

FOCUS is the first special project funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in the two States of Nagaland and Mizorm. In Nagaland, the project will cover 650 villages in eight districts of Mon, Longleng, Zunheboto, Wokha, Kiphire, Phek, Mokokchung and Kohima and reach out to 1.37 lakh households.

FOCUS-Nagaland, a six-year project, is aimed at improving jhum or shifting cultivation in rural areas of the State with a judicious combination of modern scientific knowledge, agricultural technologies and practices in natural resource management as well as the traditional wisdom and adaptive practices of the upland communities, thereby doubling the income of farmers. It also aims to management practices of shifting cultivation and fallow stages without replacing or eliminating them.

Rio, however, sounded a note of caution against confusing the farmers with too many schemes. “We have carried too many schemes and seen too many failures,” he said.

He noted that in the last 55 years of Statehood, Nagaland has not reached the national average in agricultural production.

“We must make the project a success story as our economy is agriculture based and no Naga is without land,” the Chief Minister stated.

Source: The Assam Tribune