Committee urges conserving forest to fight climate change

Dimapur, July 17 (EMN): Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC), Y Kikheto Sema, has appealed to all the farmers in villages to focus more on conservation of forests to reduce the effects of climate change such as droughts and flash floods and also adopt settled farming, which requires lesser area with better yield and eco-friendly.

Kikheto stated this during the visit of the working committee to Boke-Botsa in Kohima district on July 17 to review the progress of activities being implemented under the Naga model integrated settled farming (N-ISF). Under N-ISF, all the agri and allied departments have converged under one umbrella to develop a cluster where the farmers would be facilitated to carry out agri and allied related activities. The model envisaged to sustain the villagers while the surplus products could be sold to nearby markets to enhance the earnings and the livelihood of the farmers.

While informing that the state is going through a prolonged deficit rainfall which has adversely affected agricultural activities in other parts, Kikheto stated that Boke-Botsa has been naturally blessed with a perennial water catchment area.

Kikheto also encouraged the farmers to work hard and innovative to improve their livelihood. He also advised the farmers not to depend only on the government stating that in today’s era of free market economies the role of government is to be more of a facilitator and provide an enabling environment.

The APC also informed that under PM-KISAN, a total of 2 lakh farmers have been benefited in the state adding that an amount of INR 251.75 crore has been directly credited in their individual bank accounts by the central government. He advised the farmers to invest the amount prudently in meeting the agricultural requirements rather than in wasteful consumption expenditure.

Sema appealed to the village councils and the farmers to be more realistic in planning as per the local dynamics. He also urged the VDBs and the village councils to focus on creating more ponds, check dams, and diversion of rivulets. The APC also called upon the public of the area to make best use of the facilities provided by the government to reap maximum benefit and urged them to be role models of the working system of the Naga model integrated settled farming to other districts.

He further thanked all the working team members of N-IFS Boke Botsa for their dedication and hard work. He added that the same would be implemented in other districts if the project proved to be successful.

The working committee members included officials from Agriculture, Fisheries, Sericulture, Soil and Water Conservation, and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences. The committee visited piggery farm, mini soil plant, fishery ponds, coffee plantation, and fields under terrace cultivation.