Imphal: The ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur has affected 11,967.4 hectares of agricultural land, causing an estimated foodgrain shortfall of 27,269 metric tonnes and disrupting the livelihoods of more than 9,100 farmers, according to the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) Farmers’ Wing.
The worst-affected agricultural areas are reportedly located across the foothills and inter-district border regions of Kangpokpi, Imphal East, Imphal West, Churachandpur, Ukhrul and Bishnupur.
Speaking to reporters at Lamphelpat, COCOMI Farmers’ Wing co-convenor Konthoujam Thoiba expressed disappointment over the Assembly’s failure to take up the farmers’ crisis during the ongoing session.
Thoiba warned that the farmers’ wing could intensify its agitation across the state if legislators from both the ruling and opposition benches fail to address the concerns of affected farmers.
According to the organisation, farmers living in peripheral areas of the valley have been unable to access or cultivate their agricultural fields since May 3, 2023, forcing large tracts of farmland to remain uncultivated through successive agricultural seasons.
The prolonged disruption has pushed economically vulnerable farming families into financial hardship, the organisation claimed.
Thoiba stressed that agriculture remains a crucial source of household income, particularly for meeting expenses such as children’s education and other essential needs. He described agricultural land as the “lifeblood” of farming communities and said losing access to it effectively means losing their livelihoods.
The Farmers’ Wing also raised concerns over the implementation of compensation announced for uncultivated agricultural land in 2023. It alleged that displaced farmers from Ekou and Yenkhoman in Imphal East were left out of the compensation process.
The organisation further claimed that compensation for crop losses incurred in 2024 and 2025 has not yet been released.
The farmers’ body had earlier planned a statewide protest over the issue but deferred the agitation in solidarity with the ongoing public movement demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The COCOMI Farmers’ Wing has now urged legislators to adopt an immediate resolution in the Assembly to clear all pending compensation for crop losses.
It has also called for concrete security arrangements to enable affected farmers to safely and freely access their agricultural fields and resume cultivation.