Chizokho Vero
Kohima, January 24
Undoubtedly, there is a great reason to celebrate within the house of the Naga farmers as they would soon witness a sea of events and welfare programmes following the declaration of the year 2006 as the “Year of the Farmers” by the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) ministry.
The year of the farmers will begin from April, Chief minister Neiphiu Rio told a public function at Chizami on Saturday. He asserted that Agri and allied sectors will be given special emphasis by the State government.
Maintaining that the majority of the population of the state depends on agriculture for livelihood, Rio stressed the need to chalk out a complete strategy so that agriculture would play a vital role in strengthening the economic condition of the state.
Rio also stated that the present government has increased the budget allocation in the agriculture sector so as to gain significant progress in the field of agriculture.
It is pertinent to mention that the total irrigation potential in the state is 1, 65, 000 hectares of which only 49,000 has been developed.
“It is possible to develop the balance within the next ten years amounting to over 300 per cent increases,” according to Nagaland State Human Development Report.
Food grain productivity in Nagaland is today assessed at only 11.54 kg per capita per month as against 79.19 kg in Punjab.
“There is scope for tremendous growth in agriculture sector. The strategy is being envisaged for agriculture as a catalyst for growth and economic prosperity in the state,” the Report added.
The total net cropped area in the state is only 2, 48,000 (about 15 per cent of the state total area). It is intended to bring this up to at least 30 per cent within the next 10 years with a focused agriculture and land-use policy.
Sources also said that rapid strides have been made in the agricultural sector over the years and emphasis has been laid on the increased production of food grain by the introduction of high yielding varieties and improved farming practices as well as the adoption of new technology including mechanized farming.
Morung Express News
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