Various seasonal crops such as cardamom are drying up due to insufficient rain and maize due to infestation of Fall Army Worm in Nagaland, said Nagaland minister for Agriculture & Cooperation
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Special Correspondent
Nagaland minister for Agriculture & Cooperation G Kaito Aye on Wednesday warned that Nagaland was expected to face a drought situation. Due to climate change and late arrival of monsoon, farmers are affected globally, including Nagaland, adding that the climate this year is very peculiar compared to other years in the state, he said
Various seasonal crops such as cardamom are drying up due to insufficient rain and maize due to infestation of Fall Army Worm in Nagaland, he added.
Kaito Aye, along with Horticulture & Border Affairs Advisor Mhathung Yanthan and Agriculture Production Commissioner Y Kikheto Sema held a press conference in Nagaland at Secretariat conference hall, Kohima, to apprise the media of the situation faced by farmers.
Kaito also stated that the drought-like situation faced by Nagaland should be appraised to the government of India so that assistance could be given to the farmers affected by deficient rains in the state.
Advisor Mhathung Yanthan also briefing the media said that some parts of the state are facing excess rainfall whereas many parts of the states are receiving insufficient rainfall which has caused a drought-like situation.
He said that the farmers are going through sowing season now and the germination period of crops are badly affected due to insufficient rainfall this year which will ultimately affect the crop production in the state.
He also stated that the state government is taking all necessary steps to ensure that farmers are not affected by change in climatic conditions in Nagaland.
He also emphasized on the importance of change in the agriculture system to suit the changing times, environment and climate and to incorporate climate resilient crops in the state agriculture system.
He further informed that various ongoing programmes like PMGSY, water harvesting structures, soil conservation measures etc are being taken up to mitigate the process of climate change.
APC Y Kikheto Sema stated that. Nagaland is witnessing a drought like-situation due to delayed and erratic rains
He said that 70% of the state farmers are involved in Jhum cultivation, but with hardly any rains since December 2020 till April 2021, the agriculture and horticulture crops under jhum have been adversely affected leading to poor germination and wilting of standing crops and added that the area affected by deficient rains amounts to 68,662 ha of jhum fields in 915 villages affecting in almost all the districts.
Kikheto also remarked that terraced rice cultivation (upland) and wet terraced rice cultivation has also been affected due to deficient monsoon rains in all the districts causing delay in land preparation and sowing.
He added that if the same trend continues till July, then the farmers might fail to undertake cultivation activities.
He went on to say that shortage of rainfall has not only affected the production of normal seasonal crops but it has also affected commercial crops like large cardamom, fruits and vegetables and other livestock such as fisheries, piggery etc.
Adding more to the woes he said, the situation in the agricultural scenario was further aggravated through infestation by fall army worm (FAW) during the last week of March affecting 3048.45 hectares of maize crop covering 334 villages and despite timely intervention by the departments the FAW infestation could not be completely neutralized.
He also said that the Agri. & Allied departments are also planning to distribute seeds such as potato, oil seeds and vegetables for early rabi season from the month of September & October 2021 to compensate the farmers for the anticipated loss.
He further disclosed that a Core committee of Agri. & Allied Departments headed by the APC have been formed to monitor and review the ground situation timely.