Morung Express News
February 9
Kohima: The state of Nagaland has favourable soil and agro-climatic conditions for rubber plantation with promising techno-economic feasibility.
The yield obtained is almost as good as that in traditional areas. Apart from achieving the major objective of increasing good rubber production, rubber plantations also serve other interest such as social, economics and ecological, according to the State Level Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of Nagaland.
This Action Plan’s book, that was released by forest minister Kheto earlier this week, said rubber being labour intensive, can generate employment opportunities and ensure economic returns to the rural people thereby providing viable alternative to shifting cultivation.
“In Nagaland, large areas of rubber plantation can be taken up in the foothills where the land is denuded and left fallow due to jhumming,” the Action Plan said.
Through the efforts of the Rubber Board, many Naga families are convinced of the advantage of rubber plantation. However, due to high capital investment, Naga farmers who are generally poor cannot take up the plantation with the meager financial assistance extended by the Rubber Board.
Keeping this in view and to encourage small and marginal Naga farmers to take up rubber plantation successfully, the Government of Nagaland has started a collaborate scheme with the Rubber Board with funding from NABARD, the Action Plan added.
