Dimapur, October 16 (MTNews): Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Research Centre on Mithun (NRCM), Medziphema, celebrated its 35th Foundation Day cum Stakeholders’ Meet on 15th October 2022. ICAR-NRCM is the only research institute that exclusively works on scientific and sustainable Mithun rearing systems and caters to the needs of Mithun farmers.
Speaking at the event, Nagaland Minister Neiba Kronu urged the Naga society to take up scientific Mithun farming for livelihood sustainability in the state. The state minister for Planning & Coordination, Land Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs said Mithun is a prestigious animal that finds a place in the emblem of Nagaland.
He assured all possible support from the state government for enhancing Mithun rearing to ICAR-NRCM which is the only Mithun research centre in the world. He informed that Arunachal Pradesh was doing well in rearing the animal and urged other North Eastern states to do their bid in boosting its population.
Kronu informed that it was the right time for people to augment the Mithun population by adopting scientific rearing practices and highlighted the importance of the identification and spread of evergreen plant species and the development of pasture lands for sustainable Mithun rearing. He pointed out that Mithun dairy and meat tourism has benefited local farmers.
The minister also released booklets on success stories of semi-intensive Mithun rearing units established under Tribal Sub-plan and the Establishment of Semen Bank and implementation of artificial insemination in Mithun. He also inaugurated the Semen Processing Laboratory building at Mithun Farm, Medziphema.
Nagaland Agriculture Production Commissioner Y Kikheto Sema, speaking as the Guest of Honour, disclosed that there was a rapid decline in the forest cover and that the population of Mithun was also decreasing.
Sema said that Mithun population in Nagaland is showing a declining trend. Giving a comparative statistics of Mithun population over the last four censuses in Nagaland, he said the population of Mithun has decreased by 43% in the state as it came down from 40,452 in 2003 to 31,355 in 2007; 35,258 in 2012 and 23,123 in 2020.
Also expressing that the gradual decline of forest land is a serious concern, he suggested supporting the farmers for fencing, bio-fencing, foot-trap etc., and also providing financial support by formulation of bankable projects through interest-free credit linkages.
He pointed out that Mithun occupies an esteemed position among North East people and suggested forming a committee constituted of Agriculture Production Commissioner from different Mithun-rearing states for taking up Mithun farming as commercial activity.