Dimapur, August 12: The 3rd State Level Steering Committee meeting on National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) was held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Nagaland, J Alam on August 12 at Secretariat Conference Hall, Kohima.
A brief presentation on implementation of NAFCC project in Nagaland was made by Joint Director of SARS, Temsuinla. She stated that the project titled ‘Gen Pool Conservation of Indigenous Rice Varieties under Traditional Integrated Rotational Farming System (Jhum optimization) for Promoting Livelihood and Food Security as Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in Nagaland’ was launched in April 2019 with Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change as the funding agency. She further highlighted that the project was implemented in five districts of Nagaland covering 22 villages and benefiting around 1000 families.
Various agendas were discussed in the meeting including extension of the project period. APC, Kikheto Sema explained that the project was for a period of 3 years, however it could not be implemented on time due to delay in release of fund, the total lockdown due to COVID-19 and prolonged dry spell which has affected standing crops in some districts. He therefore sought approval from the house to request the Ministry to further extend the project period till March 2022, to which the house agreed.
The NAFCC project in Nagaland aims to undertake baseline survey for targeting of Jhum area, facilitate treatment at 1 ha of Jhum area per family, develop Germplasm of traditional rice varieties and other indigenous crops, promote cultivation of Indigenous varieties of rice in 1000 ha area, establish 100 nos. of vermicomposting units, etc. For promoting water use-efficiency and its conservation, gully plugs, loose boulder check dams, bench terraces and land levelling works would be undertaken.
The projects under NAFCC prioritises the needs that builds climate resilience in the areas identified under the SAPCC (State Action Plan on Climate Change) and the relevant Missions under NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is the National Implementing Entity (NIE). (Page News Service)
