Chizokho Vero
Kohima | March 13
The additional crops production targeted during the Year of Farmers 2006 is 67, 530 metric tons, and the economic value of the production is estimated at Rs. 70 crores.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio announced this at the Ginger Seeds distribution ceremony held this morning for Kohima district. “For the coming year, the government has, therefore, allocated to agriculture department, a sum of Rs. 10 crore especially for implementing the year long programmes and activities connected with “Year of Farmers,” Rio said.
The production of food grains has increased from 62,000 MT during 1964-65 to 4, 22, 870 MT during 2005-06. However, Rio said, in view of the rapid increase in population, coupled with the traditional subsistence farming approach by our farmers, the standard of living of our farmers, as well as the contribution of agriculture to the state economy, have not yet reached the desired level.
With the declaration of 2006 as the ‘Year of Farmers,’ our new focus should be towards achieving self-sufficiency in agriculture, bringing the long awaited economic prosperity to our farmers, Rio said.
The idea behind declaring “Year of Farmers” was to give agriculture its due place of importance in the state’s economy and to uplift the living condition of the farmers. Saying that the government, through various agencies has been giving various benefits to the farmers, either in the form of kind, such as seeds and inputs, he said “It is now up to the farmers to decide whether to produce more and improve their living condition, or, to misuse the benefits, eat up the seeds and the capital, and remain poor and unprogressive,”
The crop-zoning approach of cultivation that the government has recently adopted is expected to show results in terms of acreage expansion, as well as increased production of crops. The agro-climatic conditions and the prevailing relatively peaceful conditions of the state are favorable for giving a push to agricultural growth in the state, Rio added.
The ‘Year of Farmers’ is intended to have two pronged strategies, short-term strategies and long term strategies. The short-term strategy is to give various benefits and incentives to farmers to enable them to take off their subsidence farming to commercial farming, aimed at producing a marketable surplus of selected crops, on the basis of crop zoning of the state. Such incentive and supports to the farmers can be in the form of good quality seeds, plant nutrients, improvised equipments, modern machineries and extension services etc.
The long term strategy would be to create sustainability of the increased production by the farmers. “This can be done by way of upgrading the skills of our farmers through trainings, giving them technical know-how of modern agricultural practices and equipments relevant to our state, training in crop intensifications and diversifications, and by giving them the right exposure,” Rio said.
Rio also expressed hope that the forthcoming North East Agri Expo will give the farmers the much needed exposure to the latest methods and technologies in modern agriculture, while at the same time, big business firms be given an insight into the potential of agriculture in Nagaland.
Rio urged the farmers not to end up in wasting or ‘eating’ up the ginger seeds supplied to them, but to diligently cultivate them and reap rich harvests several folds from the seeds.
“I know that your soil and climatic conditions are quite favorable for the growth of ginger and that ginger is one commodity where Nagaland has a natural advantage over most other regions of the world.”
Minister for Planning & Urban Development Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu, Joint Director Agriculture C. Mozhui and District Agriculture Office, Kohima G. Ikuto Zhimomi also spoke on the occasion.
Minister for Agriculture Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu and Minister for Forest and Wildlife Kheto were also present at the occasion.
Morung Express News
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