Participants of the 5th North-East Chapter convening of the Consortium for Agroecological Transformations (CAT).
CAT North-East Chapter convention held
DIMAPUR, JANUARY 24 (MExN): The 5th North-East Chapter convening of the Consortium for Agroecological Transformations (CAT) concluded on January 24 at The Lily Hotel in Guwahati. The two-day event, held from January 23 to 24, brought together over 70 participants from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura to discuss critical issues surrounding agroecology.
The convening aimed to revitalize agroecological practices with a focus on indigenous stewardship, food sovereignty, and resilient futures for Northeast India. Organized by CAT as part of its nationwide efforts to promote farmer-centric, landscape-based agroecological transitions, the event was supported by North-East Network (NEN), NESFAS, SeSTA, Farm to Food, C-GEM, and the Better Life Foundation.
The event highlighted several pressing topics, including landscape-level agroecological models, youth engagement in agroecology, local governance's role in driving transformation, and market linkages for sustainable agroecological enterprises.
Conservation of natural resources in the face of extractive economic paradigms was also a focal point.
Participants included agroecology practitioners, policymakers, civil society leaders, NGO representatives, and donors. Minhaj Ameen from the Bharat Agroecology Fund underscored CAT’s collaborative mission: “Our aim is to transition towards agroecology at a mass scale in India.”
Shirish Joshi, an independent expert, stressed the importance of scaling up agroecological farming to ensure profitability for farmers. He called for equitable policies that support organic and natural farming, enabling stakeholders across the value chain to operate profitably.
BK Sohliya, Executive Advisor and Chairman of the Meghalaya Farmers’ (Empowerment) Commission, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to enhancing farmer livelihoods, stating that “agroecology is the need of the hour.”
Policy Advocacy and Indigenous Wisdom
Policy expert Amba Jamir from Nagaland called for a paradigm shift in national agricultural policies to prioritize agroecology. He criticized the lack of recognition for agroecology in current policies, urging the government to acknowledge its transformative potential.
Gratia E. Dkhar of NESFAS, Shillong, highlighted the significance of collaboration. “The Consortium has provided a valuable platform to connect with like-minded organizations, championing communities and biodiversity through indigenous wisdom,” Dkhar said.
Role of the Northeast
Youth involvement emerged as a recurring theme. Deep Jyoti Sonu Brahma of Farm2Food Foundation, Assam, pointed out the region’s dual challenges of unemployment and food system crises. “We need to see youth as co-leaders in agroecology transformation,” he said.
Dimpy, a student from Jorhat, Assam, shared her perspective: “Youth have innovative ideas to transform agriculture.
Agroecology must be made more appealing to address challenges and promote traditional practices.”
Kapil Shah, founder of Jatan Trust, Gujarat, highlighted the Northeast’s potential in agroecology: “Organic farming has come a long way. The Northeast is uniquely positioned to lead agroecology transformation.”
Sethrichem Sangtam of the Better Life Foundation, Nagaland, emphasized a farmer-centered approach to policymaking, urging stakeholders to view policies through a “farmer’s lens.”
CAT announced plans to establish three agroecological transformation landscapes across India, focusing on ecosystem-level support services to ensure long-term sustainability. These models aim to strengthen farmer-centric approaches while fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
