Imnasenla Pongener and
Sidrah Fatma Ahmed
Dimapur | June 4
If you heard that 1.3 Billion tons of food was wasted every year would you Think, Eat, Save? The World Environment Day celebrated every 5th of June, is asking every citizen to do just that. This year, the United Nations Environment Program has chosen the theme ‘Think, Eat, Save’ for various reasons. They point out that while the global population is growing at an alarming rate, estimated to reach 9 Billion by 2050, the resources remain the same and limited. We need to take arduous steps as citizens of the world to preserve and use these resources sustainably.
“This year’s campaign rallies you to take action from your home and then witness the power of collective decisions you and others have made to reduce food waste, save money, minimize the environmental impact of food production and force food production processes to become more efficient”, says UNEP.
Every individual and community has a separate yet important role to play in the way they produce, consume, preserve and discard. After talking to Nagas from all walks of life, the conclusion we have reached at is that when it comes to production and consumption, Nagas have a healthy practice.
Firstly, the self sustaining practices of Naga villages, where villagers grow enough to consume and sell amongst themselves are a major step towards a healthier environment. Logubu Tsela, a resident of Tseminyu, Kohima rears pigs in his backyard. “In our village everyone practices backyard rearing. One does not have to go out of the village to buy meat. It fetches us some good money too, sometimes more than Rs. 160 per kg”, he says.
Now on the other hand, if every family from the village was to drive or rent a vehicle to reach the major cities to buy daily supplies, there would be a lot more fuel consumption. Fuel consumption results in emissions of Carbon Dioxide, which finally adds up to growing Green House Gas. Green House emission greatly affects the earth, as without it the temperature of the earth would be much cooler. Every small step matters. And, choosing to buy locally means limited emissions.
Other practices in Naga households by women, such as preserving food to increase the shelf life of pork, beef (Sukha Mangso), bamboo shoot (Bas Tenga) and soya beans (Axone) is also a practice that the UNEP encourages.
Many communities around the world practice some form of food preservation. For example, the North Americans tribes eat Pemmican- a mixture of dried meat and tallow. This way surplus is converted into supplies, which last a household for a long time. Cottage industries producing pickles and fermented items should be encouraged by the government to further promote the expertise of Naga women.
Dr. L Daiho, HOD, Department of Plant Pathology, School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development, Medziphema has worked extensively with farmers around Nagaland and points out, “Farmers in Nagaland are not using fertilizers in large amounts. But awareness of the bad effects of fertilizers on the environment should be made in time so that they do not pick it up. The government should also take steps at teaching scientific methods of Jhum Cultivation to farmers.” He worries that due to Jhum Cultivation, farmers are cutting down large expanse of virgin forests in Nagaland and which will lead to a bleak future for the green state.
Keeping this in mind, SASRD is taking the WED as an opportunity to organize a function at the Local Ground, Medziphema Town followed by a plantation drive in collaboration with the Department of Forest, Government of Nagaland, to encourage and educate the locals. “The function is the first of its kind in the area. The plantation will start from Valley View Hostel, SASRD to Medziphema Village,” says Prof M. Alemnila Ao, Dean at SASRD. The future as they understand lies largely in youth awareness.
As the World Environment Day is celebrated, let us pledge as individuals to keep our surroundings clean, think judiciously before wasting fuel, food, water or any other resource. And, as Dr. L Daiho suggests, every shop and house should plant a tree and sit back to witness a greener future.
