tEA’s ‘Run to Reforest’ aims to combat climate change, promote tree planting

KOHIMA — The Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA) has officially announced its ‘Run to Reforest’ event, designed to raise awareness about the urgent need to combat climate change and encourage public involvement in tree planting efforts.

The announcement was made at a press conference held at the tEA office in Kohima on Monday.

The run is scheduled for November 11, commencing at 6 am from the High School Junction and concluding at the IG Stadium in Kohima. and is open to participants of all ages, including children under the age of 12, students, professionals, and individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Participants in the ‘Run to Reforest’ event will be divided into four categories: professionals and others, college students, school students, and students under 12 years of age.

Cash prizes will be up for grabs in all categories.

The professionals and others category winner will receive INR 20,000, with the runner-up receiving INR 15,000 and the third-place finisher taking home INR 10,000. In addition, five consolation prize winners will each receive INR 1,000.

The winner in the category for college students will get INR 10,000, second place will get INR 7,000, and third place will get INR 4,000. Each of the five consolation prizes in this category will be INR 500.

For school students, the winner will receive INR 8,000, while the second and third place finishers will receive INR 5,000 and INR 3,000, respectively. In this category as well, there will be five consolation prizes of INR 500 each.

In the category of students under 12 years old, the winner will receive INR 3,000, while those finishing second and third will be awarded INR 2,000 and INR 1,000, respectively. Each of the ten consolation prizes in this category will be INR 500.

The registration fee for professionals and others is set at INR 1,000, while college students will pay INR 400, and school students, along with those under 12 years of age, will be subject to a fee of INR 300 for participation in the event.

Participants under the age of 12 will have their run confined to the IG Stadium, while professionals, college students, and school students will commence their run at the High School Junction and follow the route along Secretariat road leading to the IG Stadium premises.

During the press conference, it was stated that the organisers are currently in talks about a possible reduction in distance for female participants.

For inquiries, updates, and event registration, one can get in touch with tEA at 7610080033 or 8259856157, or also contact them via email at theentrepreneursassociates@gmail.com.

Promoting climate action and entrepreneurship

Neichute Doulo, the chief executive officer of tEA, underscored that the ‘Run to Reforest’ is part of the Trees for Wealth (TfW) movement, a flagship programme launched by the association in November 2019.

TfW has set ambitious tree-planting targets, with plans to plant 2 million fruit trees and 3 million non-fruit trees by 2025, followed by 10 million non-fruit trees by 2030. Their long-term vision encompasses planting 200 million fruit trees and 500 million non-fruit trees by 2035, culminating in an impressive goal of one billion fruit trees and two billion non-fruit trees by 2050.

This extensive tree-planting initiative is expected to have a profound impact, not only within Nagaland but also across the northeastern states and the north-western region of Myanmar.

Currently, tEA has successfully planted 7 lakh fruit trees and two lakh non-fruit trees in Nagaland and Manipur as part of the movement. The organisation’s reach extends to Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam, with plans for further expansion into other parts of northeastern India.

Doulo said that TfW exemplifies tEA’s commitment to aligning its mission of fostering entrepreneurship and livelihood development with climate action. The movement is anticipated to positively affect the environment, generate income, create local job opportunities, bolster ancillary industries, and help local farmers thrive in their homeland, ultimately mitigating urbanisation.

tEA collaborates with government entities, corporate social responsibility initiatives, citizens, and partners who share similar visions, he said.

During the press conference, a range of fruits, including local tamarillo, geo-tagged Naga products, persimmon, and kiwi fruits, all native to Nagaland, were introduced, highlighting the potential for farmers associated with tEA to grow fruit trees.

Addressing concerns about deforestation and its impact on water sources, Doulo emphasised that extensive tree felling, particularly for logging, has become a pressing issue. This has resulted in the depletion of water sources like rivers and streams in Nagaland.

He stressed that land ownership in the Northeast belongs to the people, not the government, and they aim to incentivise and support farmers to plant more trees for multiple benefits, especially in light of Nagaland’s non-revenue state status.

Reflecting on tEA’s origins, Chunjanglu, the operations supervisor of tEA, mentioned that the organisation has been promoting entrepreneurship in the state for 23 years and is currently working with 27,000 farmers across Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam.

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