Agricultural growth in Nagaland cannot be measured by production figures alone. It must be judged by whether farmers can transport their produce, access markets and earn a fair return for their labour. On these basic requirements, much remains to be done.
The recent procurement of 26 metric tonnes of ginger from Hudanger village in Kiphire district by the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) illustrates the problem. Poor road access forced the produce to be transported through multiple stages before it could be moved onwards. Such difficulties increase costs, expose produce to damage and ultimately eat into farmers’ earnings.
This is not merely an infrastructure problem. It raises questions about planning, coordination and implementation. With numerous Centrally Sponsored Schemes and funding opportunities available through national programmes and international agencies, the absence of basic agricultural infrastructure cannot indefinitely be attributed to a lack of resources. The real issue is whether available funds are being effectively translated into tangible improvements.
There is also an irony in the fact that officials and decision-makers travel abroad to study advanced agricultural practices and production systems, while farmers at home continue to struggle with all-weather roads, collection centres, storage facilities and dependable market access. Exposure to successful models has little value unless the lessons are adapted to local conditions and implemented.
Nagaland does not lack agricultural potential. What it needs is a coordinated approach that connects production with transportation, storage, processing and markets. Investments must be directed towards the practical needs of producing areas, with clear responsibility for execution and maintenance.
Farmers should not be encouraged to expand cultivation without the infrastructure to support them. Agricultural development must go beyond schemes announced and funds sanctioned. Its true measure is whether farmers can sell what they grow, reduce avoidable losses and improve their incomes. The basics must come first. The rest will follow naturally.
