Nagaland moved closer to formalizing community-driven conservation today as a Zonal-Level Stakeholders Consultation meeting on the Development of a Draft Nagaland Community Conserved Areas (CCA) Policy was held today at Hotel Europa Inn. The event was jointly organized by the Nagaland State Biodiversity Board (NSBB), Nagaland Community Conserved Areas Forum (NCCAF), Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), ICIMOD, and NEPeD.
Community Conserved Areas are biodiversity-rich landscapes traditionally protected by local communities through customary practices and locally governed institutions. The consultation aimed to gather inputs from community leaders, Village Councils, CCA Management Committees, women’s groups, youth organizations, tribal bodies, and civil society representatives from Peren, Chumoukedima, Niuland, and Dimapur.
Heirang Langalung, Chairman of NCCAF, welcomed participants, while Sanjay Sharma, Regional Head of FES North East, stressed the importance of community-led governance and safeguarding traditional ecological knowledge in Nagaland.
Participants engaged in focused discussions on recognizing CCAs, governance structures, procedural steps for formal recognition including Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and strategies for long-term management. They also explored opportunities for sustainable economic activities and incentive structures to support community conservation.
Chenibemo Odyuo of FES said the policy would “formalize the efforts of communities that have safeguarded Nagaland’s forests for generations.” The consultation concluded with a synthesis session reinforcing the shared vision of upholding the state’s tradition of community-led conservation.
This consultation in Dimapur is part of a series of zonal engagements across Nagaland. Insights from all sessions will contribute to drafting the Nagaland CCA Policy, aimed at recognising and empowering community-driven conservation efforts across the state.