Advisor of Agriculture, Mhathung Yanthan has emphasized the need for inclusive growth in Nagaland’s agricultural sector, urging greater participation from women, youth, and indigenous knowledge holders.
Speaking at the State-Level Workshop on Nagaland Food & Feed LINK (N2FL) at Japfü Hotel, Kohima, on May 23, Yanthan stressed the importance of collaboration between government departments, research institutions, private innovators, and farmers to drive agricultural progress.
According to DIPR report, Yanthan highlighted the urgency of shifting Nagaland’s economy from a consumption-driven model to a production-oriented one, ensuring food sovereignty and marketable surpluses. Clean energy, he noted, should not be seen as merely a support system but rather as a key enabler of agricultural transformation.
Agriculture remains central to Nagaland, engaging nearly 70% of the population. However, Yanthan acknowledged the challenges that require systemic transformation. He advocated investment in local piggery development, which could improve food self-sufficiency, create employment, support rural livelihoods, and spur the growth of a local feed industry.
Farmers are already cultivating crops such as tapioca, colocasia, and maize, which serve as ideal ingredients for animal feed. Yanthan also emphasized the untapped potential of clean energy, pointing to the underutilization of crop residues and food by-products.
He advocated for the transformation of agricultural waste into valuable feed using solar-powered cold storage, biogas plants, solar dryers, and decentralized microgrids, calling these technologies game changers that could reduce food loss, improve feed preservation, and increase overall efficiency.
Encouraging participants to take action, Yanthan urged them to integrate food security, feed sufficiency, and clean energy into Nagaland’s development vision. He stressed the need for holistic approaches, including dual-purpose crops, reusing agricultural by-products, enhancing post-harvest handling, and promoting climate-resilient value chains.