Kohima, November 22 (MExN): In continuation with the three-day Round table conference on sustainable Management of Jhum in North East India, the IFAD team undertook a field trip to Khonoma on November 22.
The team visited an Alder-based Jhum upland farming system at Khonoma village and also held interactions with the farmers and Jhum experts. The team later visited GH Damant Monument before proceeding to Molvum village for a visit to the pineapple farm. The purpose of the team field trip is to collect information to generate an exchange of experience and good practice of Jhum cultivation. During the interaction with the farmers and jhum experts, it was learnt that the Alder-based Jhum cultivation is done every 5 to 6 years and takes 2 years to cultivate. In the process of this cultivation, the root nodes fix nitrogen in the soil which in turn makes it fertile.
Jhum cultivation which is highly prevalent in the North Eastern States considered to be a wasteful technique compared to the traditional method of cultivation. It involves clearing of forest cover on land or slopes of hills, drying and burning it before onset of monsoon and cropping it after 5 to 6 years. The IFAD team was accompanied by officials from Agriculture, Horticulture and Forest Departments.
