Nagaland: Plugging the shortage of pork

Vezokholu from Phek took up piggery in order to supplement her family income. (Morung Photo)

Vezokholu from Phek took up piggery in order to supplement her family income. (Morung Photo)

CWWS & NEIDA take up training, implementation

Limasenla Jamir
Mokokchung | June 3

Shortage of pork and piglets supply has been a constant problem in Nagaland State especially in the villages. The State has not been able to produce enough pork for domestic consumption. Though many initiatives are undertaken to promote piggeries in the State, many local pig farmers are unable to maintain piggery units citing the issue of diseases and feed costs and gives up halfway through.

However, there is one pig farmer who has taken piggery seriously and is making a good living out of it. Vezokholu, a 47 year old mother of 6 children from Thipuzü village under Phek district is a small scale piglet supplier. Being a mother of 6 children, Vezokholu said that it was never easy to maintain and take care of her children with just the salary of her husband who is a middle school teacher in the village.

She took up piggery with the determination to supplement the family income. Vezokholu received training on how to maintain a proper pig sty and take care of the pigs from the Chakhesang Women Welfare Society (CWWS) - an NGO based in Pfutsero and the implementing partner of the North East Initiative Development Agency (NEIDA). 

Vezokholu has 10 pigs with 5 sows ready to give birth and she has rebuilt her permanent pig sty with concrete and iron pipes with the support received from NEIDA through a project being funded by the Tata Trusts. 

“I sell piglets to various neighbouring villages. People even come from far off villages to buy my piglets. Earlier, it was very difficult to rear pigs because there was no proper medicine available and my pigs would just die if it got ill. It was more difficult to get the feeds for the pigs,” she said.

“Now that CWWS provides us with a Livestock Service Provider (LSP) in the village, we are able to avail veterinary services on time and also, medicines and vaccines anytime we need. I am also able to maintain my expenditure and income account because of the training I received in book keeping through CWWS”, she added.

Vezokholu today is able to earn Rs. 2 lakhs in a year through the sale of her piglets. “My husband would never look at my pigs in the beginning, but after realising that my piggery enterprise is very profitable and adding to the family income, he has now started helping me in maintaining and feeding the pigs,” Vezokholu said with a smile.

There are similar success stories of pig management from Phuvkiu, Pungro and Salomi villages in Kiphire district and also other villages in Phek district. NEIDA is aiding the villagers by providing materials for constructing pig sty and also educating them on proper maintenance of pig sty. 

By providing a LSP in each village, the villagers can avail medicines and vaccines any time when there is outbreak of diseases. Piggery is now becoming an alternate means to livelihood apart from farming and not just for consumption in these villages. 

It may be noted that the Nagaland State Government has said that it envisions attaining self-sufficiency in pork production by 2026.