Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio speaking during the launching programme of Fostering Climate Resilient Upland Farming Systems (FOCUS) project at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur. (Morung Photo)
IFAD funded FOCUS project launched in Nagaland
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 19
Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio on Saturday said that the strength of the state lay in the land and urged upon the people to make maximum use of it. “Our strength is our land which is very fertile and I hope that organic cultivation will give multiple income for our farmers,” Rio said during the launching programme of ‘Fostering Climate Resilient Upland Farming Systems (FOCUS)’ project in Nagaland at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur.
The Project is funded by International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) having signed an agreement for an initial period of six years (2018-2023) amounting to a total cost of Rs 612.42 crore for Nagaland.
The official launch of IFAD's FOCUS comes after the announcement made in 2017 during a two-day conference on 'sustainable management of jhum (in the Northeast Indian region)' at Hotel Acacia in Dimapur and signing of the project agreement on January 25, 2018. The state nodal agency of FOCUS is the department of agriculture.
Rio who is also the chief patron of the FOCUS, remarked that the launch of the project in the state was a right time to guide the people who are in need of progress as he said 'it was our dream that somebody come and rescue us from our problems'. Rio was critical of the manifold Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) programmes in the state which he said was confusing the farmers.
The CM suggested for a policy on price protection while stating it was always the middleman who benefits.
Minister of Agriculture G Kaito Aye in his keynote address said since the formation of statehood of Nagaland, agriculture had no externally aided project and thus IFAD funded project will boost the agriculture economy of the state especially on improving jhum, the occupation of 70% of the rural population.
"It is hoped that farmers will have a paradigm shift from subsistence agriculture to market economy and they will increase their purchasing power and doubling farmers' income", Aye conveyed.
The legislator addressed that since statehood successive agriculture scientist have tried to improve the agriculture economy of the state. However the rural population which consist more than 70% may not have appreciated the modern technology introduced by the scientist.
"The Naga farmers were more worried about their sustainable level and must have inherited deep traditional knowledge for the local indigenous crops. It was therefore pertinent to take this traditional knowledge into consideration while implementing the FOCUS project", Aye opined.
The legislator committed to support the implementation of the project and to provide necessary state's share of convergence fund.
