The Nagaland State Department Land Resources today honoured 12 best performing villages, four best farmers and two best SHGs under Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) project- 1 in Nagaland.
The awards were given away jointly by Chief Minister, TR Zeliang; Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) Speaker, Chotisuh Sazo; Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and the Chief Secretary during a state level watershed conference in culmination of IWMP, Batch -1 at NBCC Convention Hall, Kohima.
The award was in recognition and appreciation of the community’s sincerity, commitment and cooperation towards successful implementation of IWMP in the state. It carried citations and cash rewards.
Award for best performing village Thekrujuma village: Thekrejuma village is from Zubza Block of Kohima district. Thought naturally blessed, the village was deprived of development prior to IWMP, which is also due to its remote location. With the implementation of IWMP and active participation of the community, many positive developments have taken place within a short span of time. In December 2013, Thekrejuma village was also selected as one of the 50 villages to be adopted y the SPEED programme. Through this programme, the village has now become self sufficient and are learning to stand on their own feet for their sustenance.
Orakong village: Orakong village is regarded as the benchmark of IWMP implementation in Longleng district. The village is highly receptive to change, and exhibits a strong sense of cooperation and coordination among different village institutions. Active involvement of the community and stakeholders has led to creation of many feasible assets in the village through the project. This cohesiveness has provided ample scope for implementing IWMP successfully.
Tichipami village: This village is also known as Cardamom village of Zunheboto district. Introducing cardamom in the village through IWMP has brought about massive change in farming system and has raised the standard of living. At present, more than 125 hectares of land are covered under cardamom plantation, bringing a huge return to the village earning a total income of Rs. 19 lakhs annually from the sale of cardamom capsules and suckers.
Chudi village: Like that of any other villages in Nagaland, Chudi village in Wokha district was extensively engaged in shifting cultivation. Initially, when rubber plantation was introduced by the department, only few household took up without knowing that this crop will one day become the backbone for sustainable livelihood for the entire village. Today, the entire Chudi village is into rubber plantation with 98, 500 standing trees and 16,000 tapping trees, harvesting Rs. 82.80 lakhs annually.
Longkitpeh village: Under Tuensang district, this village was adopted by the department in 2013 under SPEED. The active community activation and positive attitude that the community has in implementing IWMP and government programmes has brought about visible positive change in the village. The village has achieved total sanitation and boasts of being one of the cleanest and model villages in the district.
Pathso village: This village is under Noklak block in Tuensang district. Prior to the implementation of IWMP in 2009, the people were confined to the traditional way of farming giving them low economic returns. Some of the visible changes after IWMP are the changing cropping pattern, and choosing of right crop giving them better economic returns. Not only this Pathso Nokeng has shown overall improvement in all spheres of social, economic, health and sanitation.
Pishikhu village: Pishikhu village in Dimapur district is one of the 50 villages adopted by the department under SPEED. The community’s cooperation and receptiveness to IWMP intervention has brought about many positive changes in the lives of the people. This village is famous for the aluminium plate making unity set up by Dollovi Sema, which was sponsored by the department under livelihood and micro enterprise under IWMP.
Salulamang village: This village is under Mokokchung district. Shifting cultivation was wide spread for their 98 households limiting the scope for sustainable development. However, with IWMP intervention, things have changed as every individual in the village directly or indirectly benefitted from the various activities through the programme as beneficiaries under livelihood, micro enterprises and production systems or by engaging as wage earners in the plantations developed through the project. With the permanent cultivation through IWMP, people of Salulamang are now focusing more on permanent farming and not just on finding a government service. In addition to rubber plantation, orange, banana and several other mixed plantations are in progress.
Yingshikiur village: This village in Kiphire district is blessed with rich natural resources. The soil type of Yingshikiur village is defined by the availability of loose stone boulders in abundance which was lying un-utilized and scattered in the project area, making it difficult for cultivation. With the intervention of IWMP the department imparted training and conducted field demonstration on the techniques of stone bunding by using the locally available materials resulting in increase of cultivable area in their field which was otherwise limited due to the presence of loose stone boulders scattered around the field. Encouraged by the benefits of building such structures, the farmers started to replicate the same in their own fields even outside the project area. The department has also planted 5000 alder trees along the stone bunds in the project area as planting of alter tree has its own benefits such as nitrogen fixation which also increase soil fertility as well as for timber and fuel wood.
Tsupfume village: Tsupfume village under Phek district is famous for producing Kiwi fruit in a large scale. Recognizing the favorable climatic condition and suitability of the soil for its cultivation, 12,000 saplings of Kiwi fruit were planted in the village though IWMP. The entire village comprising 363 households are engaged in Kiwi cultivation apart from growing other cash crops. In 2014, the farmers have generated a net income of about Rs. 2-3 lakhs. By 2015, the villagers harvested an overwhelming 5000 kg, indicating an increase of 100%.
Lamhai Dungki village: Lamhai Dungki village is under Peren district and is also known as the best rubber village of the district. With the humble beginning in the initial year and with intervention of IWMP, today, Lamhai Dungi has planted more than 300 ha of rubber with 1,20,00 standing trees.
Tuimei Village: Tuimei village is under Mon district. With the implementation of IWMP, 34 households of the total 120 households have embraced tea cultivation covering 26 Ha with 2, 60,000 standing plants. In 2015, the village has harvested 40,000 kg of teach fetching Rs. 7, 20,000.
Award for best farmers Neituo Kense: He is a progressive farmer from Tuophema village of Kohima district. Prior to embracing Ginger cultivation through IWMP, Kense was engage in jhum cultivation apart from being a butcher for livelihood. In 2012, he journeyed with IWMP by planting 500 kgs of ginger and today he is earning Rs. 1.70 lakhs per annum.
Angshai Phom: He is an outstanding farmer from Yongam village under Lomgleng district. He is the man behind introducing large cardamom and successful implementation of IWMP in his village. His interest in cardamom has paved a way for him, to invent a simple yet very helpful cardamom tool, which can harvest about 60 to 70 kgs/day as compared to the handpicked method where one can hardy pick about 20 to 25 kgs/day. At present, he owns about 5.5 ha of cardamom plantation area, in which, he had intercropped large cardamom with black pepper earning an income of about Rs.3.5 lakhs per annum.
Hatwang Konyak: He is a successful tea cultivator from Phuktong village in Mon district. This successful tea cultivator initially started his tea plantation with 5000 numbers of tea saplings, supplied by the department in 2001. Over the years, through the intervention of IWMP, he had developed an area of 8.8 ha of tea plantation, having 75,000 numbers of standing tea plants earning an income of R. 3.60 lakhs annually.
Iriesibe: He is 60 year old man from old Jalukie in Peren district. Initially, he did not reap enough profit, but today, he has mastered the art of “Jaggery Making.” A struggling farmer once upon at time, Iriesibe, has become a proud farmer earning Rs. 1.30 lakhs annually through sugarcane cultivation.
BEST SHG
Kekhrie SHG of Sechuma village under Kohima district Zangna SHG of Mhainamtsi village of Peren District.
