A quiet but serious crisis is unfolding across Mokokchung district. Most villages today are facing an existential threat in the form of steadily declining populations. With the exception of a few villages located near urban centres, many villages are shrinking due to sustained outmigration, falling birth rates, and the natural passing of the older generation. This trend is not unique to Mokokchung and is likely being repeated across other districts of Nagaland.
Young people are leaving villages in large numbers, drawn by education, employment, and better living conditions in towns. As this migration continues, fertility rates in villages are registering negative growth. Schools in many villages are seeing fewer students each year. Most students now pursue their education in towns, and many do not return after completing their studies. Young couples follow the same path, relocating to urban centres in search of livelihood opportunities and quality education for their children.
The situation of the elderly is particularly concerning. With younger family members away, many older people are left alone in villages that lack basic healthcare facilities or organised elder care. Eventually, they are taken to towns by their children, further accelerating depopulation.
Economic factors lie at the heart of this crisis. Employment opportunities in villages are scarce, and subsistence agriculture is no longer a viable primary occupation for many households. Changing aspirations, rising costs, and unpredictable agricultural returns have weakened the economic foundations of village life. Development has largely concentrated around urban areas, leaving rural regions with limited options for growth.
If this trend continues unchecked, many villages risk becoming ghost settlements within two or three generations. The loss of villages is not merely demographic. It represents the erosion of culture, community life, traditional knowledge, and local governance systems.
Addressing this crisis requires urgent and deliberate intervention. Rural employment, proper education and healthcare access, and sustainable livelihood options must be strengthened.
Revitalizing village life is essential for preserving social balance, cultural continuity, and the long term stability of Nagaland. The future of our villages must be treated as a collective responsibility before it is too late.
