Food resource a major challenge for Nagaland

Our Correspondent
Kohima | April 13  

With the increase in population, Nagaland State faces a major challenge to make adequate food resources available to meet the growing demand of its people.  

The Nagaland Economic Survey 2016-17, which was tabled in the recently concluded Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) session stated that the scope to increase production through coverage expansion of cultivable land is limited.  

In 2016-17, the survey predicted that total foodgrain production is anticipated to reach 7, 11, 430 MT, which is an increase of 34, 530 MT from 2015-16.  

Agriculture and its allied sector is one of the major contributors to the Gross State Domestic Product and is the largest employer of the workforce in Nagaland state. 45.47 % of the working population engaged in agricultural activities (Census 2011).  

The types of farming system practiced in Nagaland are the traditional jhum, terrace rice cultivation and wet rice cultivation. Rice is the staple food which is cultivated in about 52.34 % of the net area sown with rice production of 478210 MT during 2015-16.  

The survey further noted that although there has been an increase in food grain production over the years, with the increase in population, per capital food grain availability has been declining. Therefore, emphasis of the state has to be on increasing production and productivity through suitable technologies in all the existing farming systems. This, the survey pointed out, will enable the state to achieve a sustainable agricultural development.  

In addition, it stated that research and development, crop protection measures, soil mapping and crop zonation, diversification, rural non-farm activities, reduced dependence on monsoon and crop insurance are some of the issues that need to be focused on for achieving self-sufficient and sustainability in agriculture and allied sectors.  

Performance of agriculture sector

Although the agriculture sector still remains as one of the largest contributors to economy of the state, the share of agriculture and allied sector in the Gross State Value Added (GSVA), which was 30.94 % in 2011-12, has declined to 29.44 % as per Quick Estimate of 2015-16.  

The survey predicted that this is likely to decline further to 28.07 % in 2016-17 (A.E). “This represents the shifting of the state from agriculture towards other sectors of the economy. Simultaneously, agriculture and allied sector registered a growth of only 1.75% during the corresponding period.”  

The production of total oilseeds and commercial crops are estimated at 70,550 MT and 4, 73, 760 MT during 2016-17 from 70, 020 MT and 4, 62, 350 MT respectively in 2015-16. The production of rice increased from 2, 36, 350 MT in 2001-02 to 4, 78, 210 MT in 2015-16, showing an increase of 102.33 %.  

Cropping intensity, which refers to raising the number of crops for the same field during one agricultural year, was 134.94 % in 2016-17, registering an increase of 9.72% since 2005-06.  

Besides, increasing cropping intensity, farm water management is another important criterion for enhancing production. Only 23.67 % of the gross cropped area and 29.11 % of the net sown area were irrigated in 2016-17.  

The survey informed that the area under major agricultural crops increased by 28, 280 during 2011-12 to 2014-15 showing an increase of 7.04%. Further it is estimated to increase by 11, 200 hectares to 4, 40, 990 in 2016-17.  

While the area under food grains increased from 2, 99, 690 hectares in 2011-12 to 3, 22, 830 hectares in 2015-16, it is anticipated to increase to 3, 32, 640 hectares in 2016-17.  

During the present year, oilseeds and commercial crops are also anticipated to increase to 68, 300 hectare and 40.050 hectares respectively from 67, 870 hectares and 39,090 hectares in 2015-16.