Attendees during the launching NABARD-backed TRIBES project at Kangtsung Village on March 3. (Photo Courtesy: CECS)
Mokokchung, March 4 (MExN): The Tribal Resilience Initiative for Building Environmentally Sustainable Livelihoods (TRIBES) project titled “Enhancing Farm Productivity through Integrated Fishery and Promoting Aromatic and Medicinal Plants for Sustainable Livelihood in Tuli, Mokokchung” was inaugurated at Kangtsung Village on March 3.
The project is supported by NABARD and implemented by the Community Educational Centre Society (CECS).
According to a press release issued by CECS, the medicinal and aromatic plants initiative under the project is the first of its kind in Nagaland to receive NABARD funding. The initiative is envisaged as a long-term intervention aimed at ensuring sustainable income for rural farming households through scientific cultivation, value addition and organised marketing.
Addressing the gathering, OP Mounglang, Deputy General Manager, NABARD Regional Office, Dimapur, stated that while NABARD cannot be physically present in every village, it partners with committed NGOs such as CECS to reach remote rural areas. He appreciated CECS for initiating the project at Kangtsung Village.
He informed that a Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO) will be formed to promote collective marketing and enable farmers to secure remunerative returns. The District Development Manager (DDM) will monitor and assist the project team, and training and capacity-building programmes will be conducted to ensure effective implementation.
Encouraging farmers to take up the initiative earnestly, he urged them to look beyond short-term gains and focus on sustainable income generation.
On behalf of the beneficiaries, a farmer expressed gratitude to NABARD and CECS for bringing the initiative to the village and assured the community’s commitment to making the project successful, the release added.
