Balipara Foundation hosted the third edition of Nagaland regional Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics™ Forum 2023 at Sukhai Community Conserve Village in Zunheboto district on January 31.
Zunheboto, February 1 (MExN): Balipara Foundation hosted the third edition of Nagaland regional Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics™ Forum 2023 at Sukhai Community Conserve Village in Zunheboto district on January 31.
Designed under the theme ‘Rewilding to Regenerate: Trees, Agroforestry and Rural Economics’, the regional colloquium brought together community planters, village council representatives, youth, women SHG members, farmers and experts’ team from Balipara Foundation, to delve into understanding the interdependence of forest biodiversity and over all well-being of the indigenous communities residing in the Tizu Valley Biodiversity, Conservation and Livelihood Network areas.
An update from the organiser stated that the regional forum with community interactions in form of – case studies FGDs, keynote speeches envision to determine a climate resilient socio-economic development model, that documents the heritage and indigenous practices, as well conserves the critical ecosystems around them in terms of managing and restoring their natural habitats (forests).
It also aimed to understand the traditional practices of the indigenous communities with an aim to incentivizing their livelihood in congruence to scientific and socio-economic development intervention models that amplifies efficacious traditional practices in context to conservation, management and governance of natural resources.
The traditional practices supported by social beliefs, can subsequently evolved into a successful conservation model to counter ecological challenges like forest degeneration, rampant deforestation, land use-pattern change, food insecurity, lack of resilient livelihoods, amongst others.
During the programme, Village Council Chairman and Head GB of Sukhai Village, V Tokugha Zhimo highlighted that Tizu Valley witnesses’ diverse micro-climatic conditions and there is a need to implementation of landscape-based plantation consultation with communities for rewilding of habitats.
“We have to explore high value forest produce while securing a market to these for communities to drive in socio-economic mobility,” the council chairman added.
Effective forest governance
Driving the interactions in lines to effective forest governance and natural resource management, the Balipara Foundation experts’ team presented their flagship rural futures socio-economic development model, explaining the multi-dimensional intervention mechanisms designed to create alternative livelihood opportunities for the indigenous communities, to reduce their dependency on forest resources.
Highlighting successful interventions on sustainable livelihood alternatives experimented by Balipara Foundation in Assam, the experts team recommended that mushroom and agroforestry has a great potential for rural economy and it can be experimented with the indigenous communities of Sukhai CCA in an attempt to incentivizing their livelihoods.
A strategized market chain is very critical to source the local organic produce for wide range of customers. Hence the formulation of Farmers Association or FPO can bring greater economic benefits for the indigenous farmers through their farm produce,” Balipara expert team recommended.
Meanwhile, in the open group session, local farmers from Sukhai CCA were provided with an opportunity to speak a brief about their farms and economic benefits, interestingly highlighted their economic benefits and also the challenges they have been facing in terms of technical assistance, financial support and market access.
The Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics™ Forum believes that coordinated actions with the community leaders will help us bring ecology back to economy, and through cooperative leadership, actions can be taken for creating sustainable and resilient future.The forum was organized by Balipara Foundation, a non-profit organization nestled in Assam in the Eastern Himalayas. The Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics™ Forum was launched in 2013.
Rural Futures Fellowship Program
The Nagaland regional forum also announced the Rural Futures Fellowship Program that promotes skill training in forest conservation and habitat restoration through an 18 months long intensive training.
Youth within the age group of 21 to 35 years can participate and be a fellow. This fellowship will help the youth to learn various skills in plantations, agroforestry, communication along with lots of exposure, which they can come back and use in their own community for development and a better future.
