Stakeholders deliberate on bankable scheme for mithun farming in state

Dimapur, Nov. 01 (EMN): Considering the significance of scientific mithun farming as an alternative means of livelihood to the resource-poor farmers of the Northeastern hilly region, mithun farming has been included in National Livestock Mission. However, ICAR-NRC on Mithun said the implementation has been impeded due to lack of bankable scheme for mithun farming.
In order to address the issue, ICAR-NRC on Mithun organised one day stakeholders’ workshop on “finalization of techno-economic parameters for developing bankable formulation of bankable mithun project” at Medziphema campus on Oct. 31.
More than thirty people including policy makers, veterinary officers, KVK personnel, farm managers, scientists, NGOs and banking institutions from the mithun rearing states namely Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur participated in the workshop.
While finalizing the techno-economic parameters, Dr. S Pan, senior professor of West Bengal Veterinary University, Kolkata, who is an expert in developing such schemes for other livestock species, emphasised that success of any bankable scheme will depend on the consensus on the techno-economic parameters by stakeholders. He also asked the opinion of stakeholders on techno-economic parameters so a technically feasible and economically viable scheme can be developed.
MK Mero, commissioner and secretary, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, highlighted the efforts of the state government and stated that a draft scheme should be made available before December this year, so that it can be placed before the SLBC for its finalization. Mero assured full cooperation of the department towards the development of mithun farming in the state and urged the financial institutions to come forward to support the same for promoting free-range mithun rearing in all the Northeast states.
GM NABARD SK Dhumal while deliberating on the bankability of the scheme stressed the need for the provision of sufficient security in the form of joint liability group and other collaterals.
Dr. ND Minto, director of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Government of Arunachal Pradesh emphasised the need for a model bankable scheme for mithun farming to improve the economic livelihood of the mithun keepers.
Dr. Abhijit Mitra in his opening remark stated that mithun is having huge potentials to support the economic livelihood of the farmers wherein its other capabilities like milk, hide and draught in addition to meat need to be explored. He also added that mithun is the only livestock species which also has synergy in the conservation of the forest.
Other officials from Arunachal Pradesh NLDP Nagaland, Manipur state, Enterpreneur Associates and NEIDA also actively in the meeting.
ICAR-NRC on Mithun also mention in a release that Mithun is traditionally reared under a free-range forest ecosystem with almost zero input and they are left to the mercy of Mother Nature. However, such system is not only less remunerative but does not allow any scientific intervention in terms of management, breeding, nutrition and disease control.