Manipur government has decided to encourage agar cultivation in the state to check the menace of poppy cultivation. The move is also aimed at income generation of the people and for sustainable ecosystem services.
Inaugurating a two-day state level workshop on a collaborative approach to build awareness, communicate best practices and build capacity of stakeholders to adapt to changing climate scenario in Imphal on Monday, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said, “the government is taking steps to take widespread agar plantation in the state.”
The chief minister appealed to the people to change the mindsets of rigidness to take up adaptation process in the long run for sustainable ecosystem services.
Expressing serious concern over the drying up of many water sources in the hills, he announced sanction of Rs 45 crore to take up a water supply plant for the people of Tamenglong district.
The chief minister said mountains are home to many traditional management practices and forms of subsistence agriculture.
The workshop was organised by Manipur Forum for Sustainable Mountain Development in collaboration with the state climate cell of the environment directorate under the theme “Understanding Mountain People’s approach and practices for climate change adaptation.”
President of Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) Sushil Ramola, director Dr Y Nabachandra of environment department, executive director of IMI Amba Jamir attended the inaugural function. The representatives of village authority, churches, NGOs, government departments, researchers and media organisations also attending the workshop.IMI is a platform for Himalayan mountain states including some districts of West Bengal and Assam.
Most of the speakers of the workshop also deliberated on biophysical and socio-economic drivers of vulnerability, measures undertaken for inclusive planning and initiatives besides providing policy recommendations to existing gaps by integrating indigenous knowledge for climate change adaptation to achieve resilience in the priority sectors.
Earlier experts in diverse fields including village,church,NGO leaders,officials and others made presentation on natural resources,agriculture & livelihood,health & sanitation,climate change action plans. Those who made presentations in the day’s sessions are Dr Lokho Puni of forest department, Dr SS Roy of ICAR Imphal centre, Rinshang Pheirei of ministry of drinking water and sanitation and Dr T Brajakumar of Environment department,Rev T Karang of MBC,Jollyson of Tusom village,social worker Stephen Kaissi and women leader Shanggaidar Tontang, Dr RK Chingkhei of Department of forestry and environment science, Chantingla Horam of IMI, Dr Lunghim Rongmei of Department of Geography, Nehemiah Rong, economist, Dimgonglug Rongmei of RNBA, Rocky Anal of NERCORMP, Athanasius Mung of DSSS and U Nobokishore of UNMM.