EA calls for promotion policy of Mithun

KOHIMA, JULY 22: state animal mithun, which represents an iconic logo adorning Nagaland’s official seals, was once the pride of the state, but is now gradually losing its cultural importance and its population declining in its own native home- an outcome of the general misconception that they devastate farmland and crops and deplete forest cover.
Strongly emphasizing this, the Entrepreneurs Associates (EA) today conducted a seminar on ‘Mithun Rearing for Enhanced Livelihood & Forest Conservation’ at Hotel Vivor in Kohima, highlighting the success story of its 11 years project that promoted mithun as a unique micro-enterprise to farmers which in turn, led to conservation of forest in five villages under Phek district. According to EA, the project, undertaken with the support of Sir Ratan Tata Trust Mumbai (SRTT), had proved that mithun rearing under semi-captive breeding is a replicable and scalable model that enables farmers to mine profitable livelihood and has also converted over 120 square kilometres of land into conservation areas.
“The SRTT has scaled up this initiative in another 15 villages in Kihire district,” informed Neichute Doulo, CEO & coordinator of EA. He said that the state animal is not just an exotic animal but also the best economic security for farmers and has the potential to generate revenue for the state and provide for meat nutrient sufficiency.“Since mithuns thrive in forests, promoting mithuns means necessarily conserving forests which will have great positive impacts. This can bring huge dividend to the state by way of Carbon Sink & Trading while protecting our fragile sub-Himalayan ecosystems,” Doulo stated. Towards this, he underscored that the mithun as the state animal with deep-rooted cultural and social values for the Naga people, deserve policy promotion
“While we value the mithun in our logos and office seals, let us also revive our cultural merit of rearing mithuns for prosperity….. Nagaland must develop a promotion policy for mithun rearing and forest conservation,” he added.
Governor of Nagaland and Assam, PB Acharya, who graced the seminar as the chief guest, lauded the Entrepreneurs Associates for its efforts in providing support and encouraging educated unemployed youth to take up entrepreneurship as a profession at a time when employment opportunities from the government sector have reached a saturation point.
He was also appreciative of the EA for connecting mithun rearing with conservation of forests, while acknowledging that the animal is a cultural resource in Nagaland, the subject of many folktales, beliefs, rituals and cultural practices, besides being elevated to the symbol of the state’s emblem.
“Our state provides a habitat for mithun-rearing as a promising green industry, and therefore merits attention from both the public and private sectors,” the Governor said. He also asserted that Nagaland is vibrant because of its villages and farmers, and if given adequate support, knowledge and encouragement, they have the potential to meet the needs of the state which spends more than Rs.200 crore on meat imported from other states. While the state currently faces a huge deficit, he feels that rearing and selling of mithun can cover up for the loss in one way, and also strengthen traditional knowledge for the benefit of all. To this end, he stressed the need for dialogue between the industry, trade and commerce, researchers and universities, and departments concerned.
Acharya further challenged stakeholders to set a target of enhancing the mithun population to more than double of what it figures currently.
On the occasion, the Governor also announced cash award of Rs.10000 and citation for the farmers in three categories- healthiest mithun, the farmer rearing the largest number of mithun, and the most progressive village in rearing mithun.
It was later informed that the deserving candidates for the awards will be decided by the directorate of V&AH and Entrepreneurs Associates.
Commissioner & secretary for Veterinary & Animal Husbandry, MK Mero also acknowledged that there is a good synergy between the mithun and forests. He said mithun rearing has proven to control jhum cultivation while generating an alternate source of income for farmers.
The official informed that in Nagaland, 300 villages are rearing mithun and besides the setting up of the first mithun rearing centre at Jharnapani, the central government is also providing assistance to villages to promote increasing mithun population. He said the central government has already sanctioned Rs.2 crore for Rotomi village under RGG scheme and fencing of mithun sanctuary is being undertaken at present and the villagers will be provided with about 65 mithuns. The second project is likely to be taken up at Jotsoma village, he added.
Delivering a brief presentation on mithun, NRCM-ICAR director, Dr. Abhijit Mitra said the mithun is the only livestock species that represents a state emblem. He felt that it was unfortunate that this animal suffers propagandas. He stated that besides conserving the forest and enhancing the livelihood of farmers, the mithun is the answer to meat, milk and leather demands of the people as well. Talking about the merits of mithun rearing and the magnificence of the animal itself, the official opined that if the state can celebrate a festival in the name of the hornbill bird, it should also be able to celebrate a mithun festival promoting live mithuns for posterity and not just as a logo.
Other highlights of the programme included the release of a documentary ‘Mithun Rearing for Enhanced Livelihood Forest Conservation’, art show, and panel discussion.