“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. We saw a need that needed to be filled, and we stepped in to help” Benet Wilson. Dear Nagas this situation is upon us and in our land and we have to step in to help. I think that every Naga can help in food production in Nagaland. All of us cannot be farmers but farming is a part of life and also an important part of our culture and at one point of time or the other, we all do it in a large way or in a small way. For the farmers who practice terrace cultivation, Jhum cultivation, waterlogging agriculture, subsistence farming, mix farming, crop rotation, commercial farming, animal husbandry, plantations, horticulture etc, it requires a huge plot of lands and resources, which every Naga don’t have it. But the rest of the Nagas who live in towns and cities in Nagaland, can also grow food in one way or the other and in some quantity. The best way to increase the production of the farmers is to increase the demand and consumption of locally grown organic food by the Nagas.
I am not trying to say that Nagas are not doing it or have never done it before, but now it’s a call and request to all the Nagas to do more and to put these into practice and actions and achieve results. There are Nagas who have their own land and house in towns. For them, they can grow vegetables, herbs and spices, grow animals like Pig, Dog, Hen, Duck, Rabbit, Cow, Goat, Fish, rear honeybees, and plant fruits trees like Mango, Lemon, Gooseberry, Tamarind, Orange, Litchi, Jackfruit, Banana, Star Fruit, Guava, Papaya, etc, in their own garden, compound, plot, backyard. While for those Nagas who live in towns but don’t have their own land and house and live on rented houses, they can also grow vegetables, herbs and spices, on flower pots, buckets, old utensils, boxes, thermocols boxes, on the terrace, wall hangings, etc, and can keep at least one or two animals for consumption if the landowners allows to keep animals.
We should also encourage one another and can even share pictures of our gardens and it’s harvest to our friends and other family members. Thus, when the Naga farmers, land owners, tenants or Nagas as a whole start to contribute according to their capacity and grow food crops and animals, then Nagaland will be self sufficient and self reliant in food production, storage, supply, and consumption within 7 years (just like the story in the BIBLE).This is possible and we can do it even without the intervention of the government. However, the intervention and assistance of the government to the Naga farmers is encouraged. It’s not only the duty of government or our leaders to make Nagaland great, self sufficient and self reliant, it’s the duty of every Naga. And this is possible only if we work hard, do our part and work together according to our capacity, ability, position and resources.
Thungchamo Lotha Naga