JICA India delegation with Forest department officials during their visit to Mokokchung from May 13-14.
• 5,000 hectares restored across 14 villages
• 9.98 lakh saplings planted from 2020-2024
MOKOKCHUNG, MAY 14 (MExN): The ongoing Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-assisted Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP) has successfully restored 4,968 hectares of degraded land across 14 villages in Mokokchung division, while significantly improving rural livelihoods and local infrastructure, officials said.
As part of a mid-term review, a JICA India delegation visited project sites from May 13–14 to assess progress. The visiting team, comprising Ishikawa Saya, JICA India Representative, and Sushma Sen Adarshi, Development Specialist, expressed appreciation for the project’s ecological and community impact. They were accompanied by Temjenyapang, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests and Project Director, along with Rongsenlemla, IFS, Conservator of Forests (NTC), and consultants led by team leader Pravanjan Mohapatra, a press report received from the DFO Mokokchung informed on Wednesday.
In Merangkong village, the team reviewed initiatives by Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) and Self Help Groups (SHGs), including income-generating and skill-building activities. The team also visited a treatment site under the Joint Agroforestry (JAF) model and observed encouraging growth of tree species like Duabanga grandiflora, Ailanthus altissima, and Phoebe sp.
On May 14, the team inspected the Environmental Protection Area (EPA) and Water Harvesting Structures (WHS) at Aliba village, lauding the convergence of community and departmental efforts. These interventions have benefitted over 100 households. At Chungtia village, the team examined the nursery, inspected JFMC records, and interacted with SHG members engaged in piggery and poultry—activities chosen for their low input cost and high returns.
The division has planted 9.98 lakh saplings from 2020–2024 and aims to add 2.2 lakh more in 2025. Of the total 4,968 hectares restored so far, 78.7% falls under conservation models (JCC/PEC) and the remainder under productive models (JAF/JFF/JCF). This effort has resulted in a forest cover increase of 14.88 sq km, with 46.97 sq km now classified as Moderately Dense Forest and 31.55 sq km of scrub rehabilitated.
In 2025, an additional 1,289 hectares will be covered under both conservation and productive models. All 42 SHGs in the project have completed their first activity cycle; 22 are in the second cycle, while 14 are preparing for or already in the third.
The JICA team expressed satisfaction with the implementation, record-keeping, and coordination of the host division and described the project as a nationally recognized model of community-led forest management. The project recently received the SKOCH Award 2024 for excellence in governance and development.
