Kohima, July 29 — Women form the backbone of Nagaland’s agrarian economy, constituting around 65 to 70 per cent of the state’s agricultural workforce and carrying out more than 80 per cent of core farming operations, but still face challenges, officials said on Wednesday.
A senior official of the state’s Agriculture Department said that despite their dominant role in sowing, transplanting, harvesting, seed conservation and managing local food systems, women farmers continue to face significant social and structural challenges.
According to the official, nearly 70 per cent of Nagaland’s population depends on agriculture for their livelihood, with women accounting for around 65 to 70 per cent of the agricultural workforce.
The issues came into focus during a review meeting of the Agriculture Department chaired by Governor Nand Kishore Yadav at Lok Bhavan in Kohima.
During the meeting, departmental officials gave a detailed presentation on the organisational structure, ongoing schemes and programmes, achievements, challenges, and future plans for the overall development of the state's agriculture sector.
The department highlighted its efforts to enhance agricultural productivity, promote sustainable farming practices, strengthen irrigation infrastructure, expand farm mechanisation and improve farmers’ income through various Centrally Sponsored Schemes as well as state government initiatives.
Officials also presented an overview of Nagaland’s agricultural profile, including production targets, cropping intensity and the progress achieved under different development programmes aimed at modernising the sector.
The meeting reviewed the implementation of several flagship schemes, including Krishonnati Yojana, PM-Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM), National Mission on Edible Oils, Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the North Eastern Region (MOVCD-NER), National Mission on Natural Farming, PM-Kisan, Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM), Per Drop More Crop (PDMC), Rainfed Area Development, Agroforestry and other initiatives designed to strengthen the agriculture sector in the mountainous state.
The department also apprised the Governor of the progress made in expanding oil palm cultivation, promoting organic and natural farming, creating water harvesting infrastructure, strengthening farmer training and capacity-building programmes and improving market linkages for agricultural produce to ensure better returns for cultivators.
Officials also highlighted the key challenges affecting the sector, including fragmented landholdings, inadequate infrastructure, difficult terrain, and poor road connectivity, and discussed measures being adopted to address these constraints and improve the delivery of agricultural services.
Governor Yadav appreciated the efforts of the Agriculture Department in implementing various developmental programmes across the state and emphasised the need to further strengthen sustainable agriculture, improve farmers’ livelihoods and ensure the effective implementation of government schemes for the benefit of the farming community. He urged the department to continue adopting innovative approaches, enhance convergence among various stakeholders and work towards making agriculture more productive, resilient, technology-driven and market-oriented.
Senior officers from the Governor’s Secretariat and officials of the Agriculture Department were present during the review meeting.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has also underscored the importance of strengthening agriculture and allied sectors, noting that nearly 70 per cent of the state's population depends on farming for its livelihood.
Addressing a function in Kohima recently, the Chief Minister observed that Nagaland continues to remain largely a consumer state, relying heavily on goods and agricultural products sourced from outside. However, he expressed confidence that the establishment of food processing and incubation centres would significantly boost local production, encourage value addition and generate greater employment opportunities while paving the way for enhanced self-reliance in the state’s agriculture and allied sectors.