Correspondent
Five-day seminar for facilitating participatory land use planning in Chuchuyimlang village was organized by United Nations Development Program – Global Environment Facility (UNDP GEF) project team, under department of soil and water conservation, Mokokchung from October 15 to 19.
Resource persons were, Kedino Zango, district in-charge of UNDP-GEF, four soil conservation assistants: Alemtoshi, Longka, Aoyanger, and Talisunep, and two research assistants: Chubarenla and Abilie Angami.
22 member team of the Participatory Land Use Planning committee of the village and other interested persons among the villagers attended the seminar.
Interacting with the participants, the resource persons discovered that the areas were filled with fertile soil, rich in bio-diversity with substantial flora and fauna.
On having a closer look at the recently constructed Geo-Map of the landmass, forest and valleys of Chuchuyimlang by the department of soil and water conservation, it was found that there were at least 94 rivulets where incessant water flow was available throughout the year.
On this, they encouraged the villagers to maintain buffer zones at the rivulets to preserve birds and wild animals and to restraint soil erosion and for better environment.
Construction of ponds in the rivulets for fauna were also encouraged, besides creation of community fishing ponds by obtaining logistic and financial assistance from irrigation and fishery departments.
The last session of the seminar saw formulation of action plan through the exercises and learning with the participants resolved to value and strengthen the existing resources and move towards building a better future.
The plan further resolved to document traditional knowledge, biodiversity and protect the diminishing crop varieties and project towards meeting food security.
Meanwhile, Chuchuyimlang Village Council has expressed gratitude to UNDP GEF team on behalf of the Participatory Land Use Planning Committee members and the people of Chuchuyimlang village for providing all the valuable inputs to preserve and judiciously utilize the fertile land and preserve the environment.