Agroforestry, a Source of Additional Livelihood in North-Eastern Region

Training Programme on Agroforestry Organized

25th August, 2011, Guwahati

A three-day training programme on Recent Advances in Agroforestry and its role in Natural Resource Management in North East  was organized jointly by the Zonal Project Directorate, Zone-III, ICAR, Umiam (Meghalaya) and National Research Center for Agroforestry, Jhansi (23-25 August, 2011) at the premises of C entral Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), Regional Centre, Guwahati.

Dr. A. Chakraborty, Director of Research (Veterinary) of Assam Agricultural University and Chief Guest of the inaugural session, said that agroforestry forms a part of the cultural heritage of the people of the north east as it has been traditionally practiced by the people, albeit in an unscientific manner. He highlighted that scientific agroforestry has the potential of providing additional livelihood options for the small and marginal farmers of the region.

Earlier, Dr. A.K. Gogoi, Zonal Project Director, Zone-III, ICAR outlined the background and objectives of the training programme. He said that the concept of agroforestry has taken up additional dimensions in the present context with emerging areas like aquaforestry coming under its fold. Agroforestry can play a pivotal role in the integrated farming system from the points of view of natural resource management, biodiversity conservation and economic benefit generation, he added.

Dr. B.K. Bhattacharjya, Head, CIFRI Regional Centre, Guwahati, underlined the importance of informing, educating and capacity building of farmers for giving an impetus to agroforestry in the region. He also emphasized on the scientific integration of fishery component with agroforestry systems.

Altogether 30 Subject Matter Specialists representing as many KVKs of the north eastern region have participated in the training programme.

Source: NAIP Sub-Project on Mass Media Mobilization, DKMA with inputs from Zonal Project Directorate, Zone III, ICAR Reach Complex, Umiam, Meghalaya)