Y Kikheto Sema with team members on November 17.
Kohima, November 17 (MExN): A coordination meeting of the officials of Fostering Climate Resilient Upland Farming System in North East- Nagaland (FOCUS- Nagaland) was held on November 17 at the conference hall, Hotel Japfü, Kohima.
Updates informed that the meeting was held under State Project Director, FOCUS- IFAD, Tainiu as chairperson in the presence of Agriculture Production Commissioner and Mission Director, FOCUS-Nagaland (IFAD), Y Kikheto Sema.
As per the updates, the chairperson appraise the house that the FOCUS project is one of the few externally aided projects and is funded by International Fund For Agricultural Development (IFAD). She encouraged the project team to work sincerely and implement the programme with full seriousness so as to ensure that the farmers are fully empowered.
The APC and MD FOCUS- Nagaland (IFAD) acknowledged that the project could not make much headway during the 1st quarter of 2020-21 due to the pandemic. However, he asserted that agriculture has to go on, whether there is a pandemic or not, and urged all team members to work tirelessly for the welfare of the farming community.
Sema also underscored that ‘food crisis cannot be ruled out as Nagaland mostly depends food from outside.’ He urged all team members to take advantage and opportunity of the present situation, and encourage the farming community to take up more farming activities and grow more food, the updates stated.
Sema also said that it was a ‘unique and golden opportunity’ for all the Project Implementing Teams (PITs) who come from various agri and allied departments to work together as a team as representatives of their respective departments.
Addressing reports that some Lead farmers (LF) and Community Animal Health Workers (CAHW) are not ‘genuine farmers,’ while some are government employees, Sema emphasized that it is totally against the project norms. The APC directed all PITs to verify the same in all project villages and replace such candidates immediately. He also added that in many villages, there are reports of funds designated for Farmer Interest Groups’ (FIGs) ‘revolving fund’ being utilized by only few persons without the knowledge of fellow FIG members, and directed all PITs to take a note for remedial measures.
Further, the APC said that despite the pandemic, the FOCUS-IFAD project was able to provide seeds and planting materials to the farmers during the kharif season i.e. March-June and Rabi/winter seeds to all 647 project villages during October-November. As such, he viewed that the farmers will have huge production by February- March 2021 and said that the project should assist the farmers in marketing their produce.
He asked the PITs to take stock of the feedbacks/reviews from farmers on the performance of the seeds and planting materials provided while laying emphasis on assisting farmers with seeds and any other components as per the market demand, in a cluster manner, at least month prior of the planting/sowing time.
As per the updates, the district PIT in-charges also highlighted their respective district project activities and plans.
