While the just concluded State Level Consultation meeting on the National Biological Diversity Act 2002 evoked a mixed response on the first day, there was nevertheless the consensus that the Act will be accepted in principle with the qualification that ‘state specific rules’ should be made. An earlier editorial carried a few days ago had also maintained that the real challenge for the government will be to develop a State specific and people oriented usage to take forward the Biodiversity Act. It was not surprising to hear the mention of the special safeguard in relation to Nagaland with legal experts assuring that the Act would not impinge Article 371 (A), while the non-legal state officials, including the Minister for Urban Development, Dr Shurhozelie, apprehensive and seeking a review of the Act. Hopefully the two day sitting would have seen a healthy debate and a greater understanding and appreciation of the value of biological diversity in the context of the Naga people.
Coming to the point made my the Agriculture Production Commissioner citing the example of Switzerland which has never been an industrialized nation, simply because of its mountainous terrain, a State like Nagaland should also be seen on the inherent strength it possess as a result of its geography and terrain. Agriculture for the Nagas is a way of life that has shaped the culture and economy of the people. However, caution has to be maintained while undertaking development of the Agro sector. For instance, it is of outmost importance to ensure that natural resources are conserved. Given the pressures of increasing population and economic development on land, water, forest and other resources, conversation efforts would have to be an inherent part of development objectives.
In the context of Nagaland, traditional knowledge and practices have their own importance as they have stood the test of time and have proved to be efficacious to the local people. Some of these traditional practices in the fields of agriculture - crop production, mixed farming, water harvesting, biodiversity conservation, and forestry, to mention a few have been part and parcel of our local farmer’s knowledge and practices. Likewise, the increasing knowledge brought about by biotechnology and modern science cannot be ignored nor should they be blindly adopted. Those who disseminate knowledge to farmers must give solutions that allow agriculture to develop in a sustainable manner.
There is, therefore, a need to integrate the best elements of modern and traditional technologies in areas like landuse, agroforestry, water conservation, etc. With the State government encouraging agro production on a commercial scale and follow up linkages to the national and international market, undue pressure should not be made on the biodiversity resource base of the State. It is also important for policy makers to promote technically sound, economically viable, environmentally non-degrading and socially acceptable use of the State’s natural resources—land, water and biodiversity to promote sustainable agriculture. Traditional technologies and practices are usually rooted in ecological wisdom and the social traditions of local communities. It is therefore imperative to go in for suitable integration of traditional with modern technologies.
