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Dimapur, July 9 (EMN): In a significant move towards combating the climate change and conserving the environment, the Rengma Village Council Chairman Forum (RVCCF) has resolved to adopt a “Green Development Pathway” for Tseminyu district by setting up community conservation areas in all the villages.
The resolution was passed during the forum’s half-yearly meeting at Tseminyu New Town (district headquarters) on Saturday with an objective to leverage the current climate agenda into the development trajectory of the district.
Tseminyu, which officially became a separate administrative unit in February this year, will become the first “green district” in Nagaland if the conservation movement is successfully implemented in all the villages as planned.
RCVVF president Kegwasing Keppen, who chaired the meeting, told the gathering that ‘community conservation will go a long way on creating an environmentally sustainable development pathway for the Rengma community and Tseminyu district’, according to an update.
The district currently has 39 recognised villages and three unrecognised villages spread across seven ranges with a total area of approximately 500 sq km, and forest green cover accounting for 70% (250-300 sq km) of the total geographical area, it was informed.
As part of the resolution, all villages in the seven ranges under the Tseminyu district will demarcate an area for forest biodiversity conservation. The update stated that it will be vital for all the villages to undertake forest conservation, whether big or small in proportion to the total land available in the village, in order to commit to the principle of conservation as a cultural norm and adherence to UN climate action goals.
“Such effort will go a long way in the brand building of the district viz. climate action funds and projects. It was noted by the forum that conservation provides the first-level landscape foundation for other climate action initiatives which offers a great opportunity for our farmers, youths and entrepreneurs, such as the sale of carbon credit generated from conserved areas, incentive-based climate agriculture practices, branding and marketing of agriculture, and forest-based and livestock produces,” it said.
The Council of Rengma Baptist Churches (CRBC) presented a proposal to initiate the movement for the Tseminyu district community conservation plan, which will be jointly spearheaded by RVCCF and Kenono Foundation, a development organisation working on conservation initiatives and developing a carbon market for community conserved forest in Nagaland.
“Globally, The United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention - COP26 and nationally, India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution offer us an opportunity and a suitable framework for our response to green growth and sustainable development. Likewise, given the scope and the time at hand for local climate action, the forum decided community conservation as the development trajectory for the upcoming decades,” read the update.