Guwahati: “High-yielding native crop varieties suitable for this region should be preserved and cultivated for the well-being of society. Alongside, disease-free mother plants are crucial for getting quality saplings and better production,” said Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), during a programme at Udalguri in Assam.
Dr. Dhawan also emphasised the importance of improving soil health and promoting drought-resilient crop varieties during stakeholder consultations organized by Aaranyak.
Under the GEF-UNDP Small Grants Programme (Operational Phase 7), premier biodiversity conservation organization Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org) is implementing a project that adopts a community-based integrated approach to facilitate human-elephant coexistence (HEC) and biodiversity conservation in Udalguri, Assam.
As part of this initiative, Aaranyak organized a local stakeholder consultation at the Jaikhlong Community Nursery in Dimakuchi, Udalguri.
Dr. Dhawan highlighted the need for community participation and a sustainability plan to ensure the project’s long-term impact. Dr. Dipankar Saharia, Senior Director of TERI, also addressed the gathering, outlining local challenges and the role of collaborative efforts in biodiversity conservation. He emphasized the importance of agrobiodiversity in combating climate change.
During her visit, Dr. Dhawan toured the nursery, interacted with community members, and inaugurated a children’s library for the children of nursery workers. “This library will serve as a valuable resource for the children, nurturing their curiosity and providing them with knowledge beyond the classroom,” she remarked.
Dr. Dhawan commended the community’s efforts in developing mother-plant blocks of sweet lemon, Assam lemon, Tezpur litchi, and black pepper. She stressed the importance of maintaining disease-free mother-plant blocks for future sapling multiplication and preparation.
Dr. Partha Jyoti Das, Head of the WATCH Division at Aaranyak, delivered the welcome address. The event was attended by community members, project beneficiaries, village heads, SHG members, members of the JFMC, the Agriculture Development Officer, and the Agriculture Extension Officer.
Jayanta Kumar Pathak, the team lead of the UNDP-GEF SGP project at Aaranyak, expressed the organization’s commitment to continuing and scaling up its work. Aaranyak plans to launch training sessions at the nursery soon. The core team of the SGP project, including Dipankar Haloi, Rabiya Daimari, Haben Mochahari, Abhijit Saikia, Mondeep Basumatary, Abhilasha Baruah, Bikas Tossa, Didom Daimari, Bineswar Basumatary, and Pradeep Barman, played a crucial role in ensuring the smooth execution of the event.
Manish Pandy, the National Coordinator of the SGP-OP7 project, emphasized the necessity of collaboration among various stakeholders to achieve GEF’s objectives.
The Dimakuchi Agricultural Development Officer and the Agricultural Extension Assistant from Bholatar VCDC also attended the consultation.
The ADO informed farmers about current government schemes and minimum support prices (MSPs), enhancing their understanding of available agricultural support mechanisms.
The meeting, attended by over 70 participants, was highly interactive, with project beneficiaries engaging in discussions with dignitaries. Dr. Dhawan praised the holistic efforts undertaken by the community and Aaranyak in promoting sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation.
Notably, Aaranyak recently received the SGP Best Innovation Award from UNDP and TERI for its innovative and successful implementation of this project. This recognition further validates the organization’s commitment to conservation, community development, and human-elephant coexistence.
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