ICAR-NRC on mithun conducts interface meeting with ATMA officials of Nagaland

ICAR-NRC on Mithun, the only research Institute in the country, is mandated to carry out the research for continual improvement of Mithun and to create awareness in the society for scientific mithun rearing. In continuation of the ongoing efforts, ICAR-NRC on Mithun organized one-day Interface meeting on Potential of Mithun Husbandry for Livelihood Improvement with the officials of Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) of Nagaland State on 9th March 2017.

While inaugurating the meeting, Shri T. Imkonglemba Ao, IAS, the Chief Guest, highlighted the pros and cons of Jhum cultivation and role of the participatory land use for the upliftment of the village economy. He also suggested to undertake a study on Jhum mapping by the agricultural scientists and to integrate the Mithun farming with the jhum cultivation and urged to exploit the natural resources of Nagaland, including Mithun, rather than depending on the resources which are not native to the state.

Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Director, ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun welcome the dignitaries and emphasized the need for close collaboration with ATMA and other line departments for efficient dissemination of laboratory technologies to its end users. Dr. I.P. Khala, Director, AH & VS, Govt. of Nagaland, Guest of honor and Dr. D J.Rajkhowa, Joint Director, ICAR-NEH region, Nagaland was also present as a special guest.

The inaugural programme was followed by technical sessions in which the deliberations were made on genetic resources, rearing systems, nutritional requirements, reproductive management and common diseases of mithun and its prevention, and scope of different value addition of mithun meat and milk products. More than 50 delegates including ATMA officials, Farmers, Scientists and policy makers participated in the program.

This is first ever Interface meeting between ICAR-NRC on Mithun and ATMA. ATMA being the nodal agency for the dissemination of the technologies and package of practices to the block level, such Interface meeting will help to disseminate the information and technologies to the mithun rearing farmers located in the remotest villages of Nagaland.