Indigenous crops should be protected; farmers can’t abandon jhum cultivation completely, says Nagaland official

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 14 (EMN): Indigenous crops should be protected and its ‘purity’ maintained; adopt good cultivation practices, identify medicinal and high-yielding crops with indigenous methods as well as improvise it, said Temsuinla, Joint Director of State Agriculture Research Station, Yisemyong, Mokokchung.

She was addressing the inaugural programme of the ‘Confluence of Rural Women’, a workshop on “Millets and women- success, challenges and strategies”, at JMC in Kohima on Friday.

The event was organised by Northeast Network (NEN) in collaboration with Millet Network of India (MINI) and All India Millet Sisters’ (AIMS) Network.

Temsuinla said that there are different varieties of pest-resistant and high-yielding crops and Nagas adopt Agro-ecological situation (AES) farming practice suitable in the certain location and topography.

Underlining the need to take climate change seriously, she elucidated that erratic climate and rainfall patterns caused by global warming over depleting ozone layers, is an outcome of human activities, which in turn is affecting human health and creating other issues.

She asserted that changes are happening but people should retain the traditional practices of cultivating crops and adapt to changes to build climate resilience. She also expounded the role of women, their involvement in agriculture right from seed selection, which plays a significant role with about 65-70% of the population engaged in agricultural work.

On jhum cultivation, the officer opined that farmers can’t abandon it completely although it involves deforestation, and therefore stressed on the need to adopt good practices in order to avoid soil erosion and jhum improvement.

In the meantime, she urged the people to protect soil health as it is important for food production and good yield. She added that the state has rich resources but measures to ensure sustainability is necessary for subsistence.

Earlier in the programme, Wekoweu Tsuhah, State Coordinator, NEN Nagaland, said while giving a presentation on ‘Setting the context’ that ‘Confluence of Rural Women’ was conceptualised to bring women together for a conversation on local foods as well as explore on adopting climate crisis which beginning to affect the people.

She said the convergence was also to provide a platform for interaction between the policy makers and the farmers in order to impact policy framing which will ensure a resilient food system.

While pointing out that millet crop has gone extinct in many villages, she said rural women are also leading the way in reviving its cultivation. She went on to say that the objective of organising the seed exhibition as part of the event was to exchange knowledge associated with seeds and also to facilitate market linkage for indigenous food growers.

Meanwhile, Nukholo Swuro, Associate Project Lead, NEN, informed that 10 villages had participated in the seeds display and exhibition, as well as three local bakers on the possibilities of millet products. A folk song was also presented by Women Farmers in Kohima.

For the workshop on “Millets and women- success, challenges and strategies”, Dr. Pauline Alila, Professor and Head of department, SASRD Medziphema, Nagaland University, was the keynote speaker.

A panel discussion on “Rural women enabling sustainable food system- voices from the field” was held during the programme, and another session on “Millets and seeds: programmes/ initiative by government and NGOS” was also conducted with panelists from government department, NGOs and farmers.

On Saturday, an exhibition-cum-sale programme of indigenous food from the forests, jhum, terrace and homestead garden, and millet delicacies will be held at BOC, Bamboo market area. It will starts from 7 am onwards.

“Tapestry: An exhibition and sale” of natural fibre textile products will also be held at Hotel De Oriental Grand, Themezie, Kohima, on the same day starting from 11 am. Dr. Theyiesinuo Keditsu, Assistant Professor, Kohima College, will be the guest speaker of the inaugural session.