Nagaland MLA proposes Jatropha plantation to curb human-elephant conflict

Kohima: MLA and Secretary General of the Naga People’s Front (NPF), Achumbemo Kikon, on Tuesday proposed large-scale plantation of Jatropha as a dual solution to human-elephant conflict and green energy production in Nagaland.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour of the 8th Session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Kikon said his constituency, 40-Bhandari A/C, remains one of the worst affected areas by human-elephant conflict.

He said frequent intrusion by wild elephants has forced many farmers to abandon their paddy fields and farms due to repeated crop destruction.

“As a representative of my people, I have explored several options to reduce the rampaging of fields by wild elephants. However, there has been no concrete solution so far,” he stated, adding that he had raised the matter both inside and outside the House, including with the state’s Environment, Forest & Climate Change Department.

Kikon informed the House that he has tied up with an organisation, TERRATROTH, which is engaged in research-driven Jatropha cultivation. He said the organisation, through its technical partner JATROPOWER, has been working on improving genetic material, standardising agronomic practices, strengthening market linkages and developing an integrated value chain to make Jatropha a commercially viable bioenergy crop.

According to him, sustained research, varietal improvement and scientifically optimised cultivation protocols have helped transform Jatropha from an experimental plantation crop into a structured bioenergy feedstock with defined downstream market pathways.

He expressed confidence that Jatropha plantation could serve as an alternative solution to reduce human-elephant conflict, as the plant and its seeds are not favoured by wild elephants. He added that cultivation would primarily focus on lands abandoned due to frequent elephant disturbances.

Kikon said TERRATROTH would provide hybrid seedlings to willing farmers and enter into written agreements to buy back Jatropha seeds at a stipulated price to ensure maximum benefit to cultivators. He further stated that the organisation plans to establish a refinery at the foothills of Nagaland to process Jatropha seeds into biofuel.

Additionally, he said the organisation intends to set up a research centre and academic programmes focusing on green energy and medicinal plants.

He informed the Assembly that the Bhandari Sub-Divisional Planning & Development Board (SDPDB), in its meeting held on February 13, 2026, resolved to engage with TERRATROTH for large-scale cultivation of hybrid Jatropha through both mono-cropping and mixed-cropping models. The District Planning & Development Board (DPDB), Wokha, also adopted a similar resolution on February 24, 2026, to promote Jatropha plantation in elephant-affected areas.

Kikon said the initiative aligns with global and national renewable energy commitments.

Referring to the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/79/211 extending the Decade of Sustainable Energy for All until 2030, he noted that member states have been urged to accelerate renewable energy adoption and expand clean energy access.

He added that India’s National Policy on Biofuels (2018, amended in 2022) promotes biodiesel production from non-edible oilseeds such as Jatropha, alongside targets for higher ethanol blending.

Stating that Nagaland stands at the threshold of a new opportunity, Kikon said the proposed model seeks to combine ecological protection, farmer empowerment and renewable energy production.

“Plantations that protect wildlife, enrich communities and produce clean biodiesel can position Nagaland as a progressive stakeholder in India’s green energy mission,” he said.

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