Moa Jamir
Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, on May 2, iterated the potentialities of the Agriculture and Allied Sectors to make the state not only self-reliant but also to export possible surplus production.
He was speaking in the context of food security as well as the overall economic potentialities of the sectors, including employment opportunities.
Stressing on foraying into the Agriculture and Allied Sectors, given the potentialities, he underscored that it “cannot be a part-time job” to ensure consistency and quality control as well as self-sustenance.
The lands are fertile, mother Earth can sustain the region, and the Agriculture and Allied Sectors can lead the way, he said addressing the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, commemorating 75 years of India’s independence under the theme ‘Monetizing Agri- Horti and Organic Potentials of North East through Value Chain Development.’
While highlighting several challenges and issues facing the Agriculture and Allied Sectors Nagaland Minister for Agriculture and Cooperation, G Kaito Aye called for reasonable support, not in excess from the Centre. Storage, sheds, roads, marketing and linkages were some of the challenges highlighted by both.
The Chief Minister is right. As per Nagaland Economic Survey 2019-2020, the State is an agrarian economy with more than 60% of the population depending on agriculture for their livelihood.
An avid proponent of envisioning ‘visions’ over the years, Rio’s exhortation however, must be assessed by reviewing the ideals envisaged and their achievement.
For instance, during his previous tenure as the Chief Minister in 2012, the Department of Agriculture and Allied Sectors published a vision document called, ‘Vision 2025 Food for All -Prosperity through Agriculture.'
This is a most appropriate step indeed towards building up a self-reliant and economically viable State, the Chief Minister then noted in the foreword message.
“Vision is the future as we foresee,” the document declared, stating the primary aim of the Vision 2025 is ‘Food for All by 2025’ incorporating ‘food security’ as many 12 times in the whole document.
The main objectives, among others, were to sustainably increase production and productivity; employment generation by establishing agro-based food product and animal feed product industries; attracting educated youth toward agricultural activities by utilizing the potential for earning through value addition both for domestic and export markets.
It further highlighted possible steps to be undertaken to ensure food security by taking steps such as infrastructure development including the establishment of rural markets back linked with marketing chains; construction of warehouses and cold storage facilities; development of seed farms and nurseries, soil testing laboratories, and quality control laboratories; establishment of farm implements/tools production units organic fertiliser and pesticide production units; hatcheries for poultry and fish fingerlings, and establishment of pre-processing and packaging units for cut flower and fruits etc.
These were envisaged to be augmented with various technology generation and dissemination to “usher green revolution in a sustainable manner” as well as forward integrations including Agriculture Hub, linkage to production units, MNCs and agro marketing companies; selected products for export-oriented units; and value of products to the farmers.
The Mission of Nagaland Agriculture is to “converge all activities of agriculture and allied departments to achieve food security by the end of 2025” and attain the “status of a State that is surplus in food production by the year 2025,” it declared.
With just 3 years left for the ‘vision’ to end, the Chief Minister as well Agriculture Minister’s reiteration of issues already ‘envisaged’ a decade ago suggests that the objectives are being missed along the way. No doubt, the State’s Agriculture and Allied Departments have been perceptibly dynamic in the recent years; however, those at the helms of affairs need to reorient themselves with the vision document and undertake course correction during the remaining period to ensure that it is not another failed dream.
For any visionary issues, drop a line to jamir.moa@gmail.com
