In a wonderful gesture of solidarity among Naga women and also showing how different tribes can live in unity despite the diversity of our tribal identity, the first ever multi-community Millets Food Festival of Nagaland was organized in far away Chizami. The Morung Express was there to cover this important celebration and to highlight it in the media so that many more people can be inspired. In promoting food sovereignty in Nagaland, the North East Network (NEN), at their resource centre in Chizami, organized a Millets Food Festival on August 30, bringing together 120 farmers of Nagaland. The state government needs to encourage this kind of initiative and also perhaps emulate such kind of work that goes into showcasing things that are beneficial for people, especially women folk in this case. That women farmers from Phek, Tuensang, Longleng and Kohima districts came together to exchange agro-knowledge, presenting to each other millets-based songs and dances, such kind of work can be replicated on a larger scale. And as rightly mentioned by Seno Tsühah, Programme Manager of NEN, in Chizami, “male participants often go to Dimapur or Kohima for agri-conferences but women farmers, who play a major role in agricultural production, rarely get an opportunity to share knowledge on agricultural systems, both traditional and the new methods they apply”.
Indigenous women are actually key actors in poverty and hunger eradication as was amply demonstrated during the Chizami food festival. Even though the Millet festival was rural based, low key and without the road show kind of government publicity where we are witness to more style than substance, what is so significant and profound about the NEN initiative is the recognition that women farmers they actually do play a vital role in agricultural and rural development, including by enhancing food security and nutrition for their communities and families, which official statistics may miss out on. We need to tap into the inherent strength of Naga women who are actually more sincere and hardworking then the average menfolk and to use their wisdom and knowledge towards sustainable development. The government can rope in groups like the NEN to conduct similar grass root programmes or even bring it to platforms like the Hornbill Festival where not only foreign tourists but even Nagas can get to benefit from the indigenous knowledge and best practices on display.
What was even more inspiring about the get-together of women folk for the Millet Food festival was the idea of peace, amity and friendship that was demonstrated by the participants. It was not your big ticket kind of reconciliation summit where resolutions are carefully prepared and passed or the photo opportunities to be seen in the next day’s news headlines. It was subtle yet natural and real—the manner in which one group of womenfolk from a particular tribe or village exchanged seeds and shared their knowledge with one another. In more ways than one, such kind of solidarity displayed by our womenfolk symbolizes the inherent desire of Naga women to bring change and reformation to our society. And at a time when we are confronted with different forms of conflict from within, our Naga women can show the way towards promoting peace and harmony. At a time when our society desperately wants peace in our troubled land, our womenfolk if given the chance, they can use their God given gifts to help bring peace in our land.
