The itinerary included visit to the Jhum field at Chiechama, Naga Integrated Settled Farming project at Boke-Botsa, Sendenyu Community Biodiversity Reserve, Khonoma and Terrace field, traditional Agro-forestry field and Biodiversity conserved areas at Dzuleke on Tuesday
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
A 12 members team from the World Bank (WB) arrived Nagaland on Monday for a four days visit to implement Enhancing Landscape and Ecosystem Management (ELEMENT) project and met Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC), Y Kikheto Sema, at his office conference hall, Kohima.
The visiting team and the APC deliberated on various aspects of the project, concept, scope, preparedness, government approvals, rationale, economic analysis, DEA readiness filter and timelines of the project and also had discussions on the various managing procurement, finance management, contract and environment and social safeguards in the World Bank funded projects.
The itinerary included visit to the Jhum field at Chiechama, Naga Integrated Settled Farming project at Boke-Botsa, Sendenyu Community Biodiversity Reserve, Khonoma and Terrace field, traditional Agro-forestry field and Biodiversity conserved areas at Dzuleke on Tuesday and after which a meeting has been proposed with department of environment, forest and climate change, Nagaland. During their visit, the team from the World Bank would also meet various concerned departments and stakeholders involved with the ELEMENT project.
Moreover, there was a threadbare discussion on managing procurement, finance management, contract and environment and social safeguards in the World Bank funded projects. It was also followed by another meet with the land resources department at its conference hall after which the team visited the GIS campus and held a meeting with the GIS team.
On November 16 morning at 10.30 am, the visiting team will have a coordination meeting with all agri and allied departments including four missions, rural development department and department of environment, forest and climate change, Nagaland, at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat conference hall, Kohima, while in the afternoon the visiting team will call on Nagaland chief secretary, followed by a
wrap up meeting at the conference hall of the APC, Kohima.
The World Bank team before their departure on November 17, they would also visit Nagaland Bamboo Mission (NBM), Nagaland Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) and the organic AC market at Chumoukedima.
Meanwhile, talking to this correspondent, APC, Nagaland, Y Kikheto Sema, reminded that the World Bank team’s visit was a follow up to oversee the different project after their recent visit to the state in the last part of August this year.
Sharing his thoughts on landscape management and looking at the total eco-system, Kikheto felt that until and unless we improve the eco-system, the traditional way of cultivation cannot be stopped and for which the eco-system has to be maintained in the state.
However, he said in Nagaland because of the land holding systems owned by individual or family, it is sometimes difficult to maintain the eco-system. Stating that the Nagaland forest department owns 36 percent eco-system, Kikheto also said that agri and allied departments including horticulture, land and water resources, fisheries, veterinary, and forest are involved in order maintain a holistic approach towards eco-system.
He was also of the view that in some areas, the farmers could opt for non timber high valued trees including medicinal plants or some kind of horticulture plants so that they could be able to sustain themselves instead of the long term plantations which sometimes takes 35 to 45 years. Also stating that with so many unemployed youths in the state, and with no scope in large, medium or small scale industries, the last hope for their future lies in the agro based industries but cannot ask them to take up the traditional way of cultivation. In order to bring them into the agriculture system, a little bit of modernization has also to be inculcated which would grow into a agro-tourism or business enterprises, the APC further added.