Dibrugarh: Honchun Ngandam, MLA and Advisor to the Minister for PWD, has appealed to the Wancho community in the Tirap, Changlang and Longding (TCL) region to gradually move away from the traditional practice of jhum (shifting) cultivation.
Addressing the public, Ngandam stressed the need to adopt modern, eco-friendly agricultural practices to ensure environmental conservation and long-term economic stability. He said the Arunachal Pradesh government, under Chief Minister Pema Khandu, is committed to supporting sustainable livelihood alternatives for indigenous communities.
Ngandam noted that the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments are strengthening schemes focused on high-value crops such as tea, ginger and betel nut. These permanent cultivation methods, he said, can replace the soil-depleting cycle of shifting cultivation while offering farmers more stable and reliable income opportunities.
Emphasising biodiversity conservation, Ngandam also urged people using air guns to stop hunting wildlife. He said protecting fauna is as crucial as conserving forests and farmland, warning that unchecked poaching poses a serious threat to the ecological balance of the TCL region.
He added that by moving towards conservation-led livelihoods and sustainable farming, the Wancho community can play a leading role in Arunachal Pradesh’s green development.