Members of the Christo Naga’s Club undertake planting of rice paddy in Zhavame village. (Photo Courtesy: Christo Naga’s Club)
Christo Naga’s Club undertakes terrace cultivation in Zhavame village
Vishü Rita Krocha
Kohima | June 17
With the rapid growth of urbanization, over the years, many people have fled to towns in search of better opportunities and with fewer farmers in the village every passing year, more and more paddy fields get abandoned. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has revived the age old tradition of farming even as many town dwellers return home during this period of lockdown and are mostly engaging themselves with farming activities.
Taking a step forward in this regard is the Christo Naga’s Club of Zhavame village, who have come together to cultivate rice in a field at Chi, that belongs to Nasu Krocha and was freely offered to them for use this year. The fields in Chi are known for its rich harvest and also better taste, but the couple had decided not to cultivate in the field this year, owing to the distance and are concentrating in the four other terrace fields nearby. It takes about an hour to walk to the field.
“The idea of cultivating at Chi as a club dawned on us while we were sitting together after assisting the elderly and the needy in transplanting paddy,” Sarhünyi Krocha, a member of the club told The Morung Express. The Club had been part of the Zhavame Students’ Union’s initiative to extend help to 15 families in transplanting paddy a few days ago.
Consequently, on June 16, when they set out, their only ambition was to complete the process of transplanting paddy. Having made the decision just a few days back, the club members started with ploughing and with permission from individuals who generously donated paddy, they could finish transplanting rice in one day, wherein a total of 21 club members participated.
Sarhünyi Krocha is a taxi driver in Kohima but had gone back to the village as soon as the lockdown started, realising that there is nothing left for him to do in the state capital. “I thought I should go back and help my parents in cultivating,” he said. But as a member of the Club, he has kept himself quite occupied even as they take up several activities for the welfare of the village at large.
Christo Naga’s Club was formed in 2006 and comprises of members from the Catholic denomination, who are graduates, entrepreneurs, teachers, government servants, and young professionals. President of Christo Naga’s Club, Zhovi Dukru, who serves as an Assistant Professor, highlighted that “when we started the club, our main focus was to build ourselves spiritually and actively participated in youth ministry.” Besides that, he said, “we also organise sports’ activities and our club has participated in the NSF and Classic Cup,” which, he pointed out, was about building themselves physically.
“Since all of us are young, we are also trying to promote tourism,” he further stated. In Zhavame, Christo Naga’s Club is often associated for their benevolent initiatives such as giving a helping hand in cleaning the homes of the elderly and the needy besides carrying out cleanliness drives in the village. Impressing upon that the pandemic has taught us the importance of growing our own food, he expressed that the club’s initiative to cultivate a field this year was also a step towards becoming self-reliant. The Club is also developing a fishery pond amidst the terrace fields they have taken up for cultivation this year.
Meanwhile, son of the field owner, Ngonyo Krocha expressed that maybe if the club is interested, they could continue in the next few years also. “They are also cultivating Sticky Rice. About 30 tin of rice can be harvested from the field at Chi”, he informed. Further stating that with most of the young population now living outside, he noted that “taking this initiative can ignite a trend among the young people.”
He personally felt that with more education nowadays, we should blend it with modernity such as use better seed quality, etc. Pointing out that there has been a lot of emphasis on traditional farming, he reiterated that “we need to blend it with modernity”. “Individuals and the government can join hands to make Nagaland self-sufficient,” he emphasized.
