Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 23
Nagaland Governor, Dr. Ashwani Kumar, has expressed happiness that despite the economic slowdown in the country, the farm sector is expected to achieve a growth rate of nearly 4.8% this year.
“The happiest news is that North Eastern region also showed an upward growth in Agriculture. Even the state of Nagaland seems to have done well. Cereal productivity increased at the rate of 2.7% and pulses 2.56%. Furthermore, oilseed production in the state increased by 8.8%,” the governor said.
Kumar also said that Nagaland State witnessed a “spectacular growth” in horticulture and vegetable production and that the production of fruits almost doubled during the 11th Plan period. “These are positive indicators,” he added.
The governor was addressing the inaugural programme of the national seminar on ‘Emerging challenges and prospective strategies for Hill Agriculture in 2050’ organized by Indian Association of Hill Farming in collaboration with ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, here at ICAR Complex Jharnapani, on Thursday.
“Of course the challenges for still better quality seeds, processing, packaging and marketing facilities and location specific research have still to be overcome,” Kumar said.
On the second part of the theme ‘prospective strategies,’ Kumar said agriculture scientists have to first identify the emerging challenges and then formulate the prospective strategy to overcome the challenges. He said another option is to conceptualize a futuristic and inspirational vision of Hill Agriculture in 2050 and then formulate a strategy to reach that destination.
“2050 is still 37 years away. Therefore, we need to develop an all encompassing vision for that time period. One vision could be from the point of view of an agriculture expert. The other vision could be from the point of view of an ordinary farmer. As confessed earlier, I am not an agriculture scientist but I can visualize the concerns of a hill farmer,” the governor said.
With the world population expected to reach around 9.5 billion in 2050 and the demand for food to go up 60% than at present, the governor said as a hill farmer in 2050, his concern would be to produce maximum quantity of food and fodder and to make money by selling fruits, vegetables, cash crops, meat and milk to the people in the plains.
The hill farmer would also like to exploit the forests keeping in mind the concern for ecology and environment and, most importantly, water and its conservation. “I will wish all my agriculture land to be drip-irrigated so that there is no flooding and soil erosion,” the governor echoed the wish list of the hill farmer in the near future.
Kumar further said that the hill farmer of 2050 would want all modern technical infrastructure facilities in his farmland including good road connectivity, electricity, telecommunication, latest laboratories, food processing, packaging, storing and online marketing.
“Therefore, the demand of the hill farmers will be high yielding crops and cattle....we will continue to be organic not by default or neglect but by choice,” he added.
Earlier, on his arrival the governor also inaugurated the citrus processing unit and later released publications on the seminar and ICAR Nagaland Centre.
Former vice chancellor, YSPUH&F, Solan, Dr. KR Dhiman, who delivered the keynote address, said that more than 63% of agriculture land in the country comprises of rain fed or hill agro-ecosystem but which contributes less than 40% of the total food grain production. Dhiman said the challenge ahead was to make the raid fed and hill agro system speed up food production to feed the ever growing population.
Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Dr. SV Ngachan, former director, NIRJAFT Kolkata, Dr. KK Satapathy and ex-DDG Horticulture, ICAR, New Delhi, Dr. SP Ghosh, also spoke on the occasion.
Joint director, ICARRC Nagaland Centre, Dr. Bidyut Deka, delivered welcome address and Dr. RK Singh, Pr. Scientist-cum-head, IICAR Umiam and secretary IAHF, proposed the vote of thanks.
