Socio-economic Upliftment of Farmers through Mithun based Farmer
Mithun is considered as the pride of Nagaland. This animal plays an important role in the social, cultural and economic life of the local tribal population. The ownership of Mithun is considered as a sign of prosperity and superiority of an individual in the society. Farmers rear Mithun mainly for the meat. Besides, this animal is also used as a bridal gift and sacrificial animal for different social and cultural ceremonies. Though, at present farmers do not consume its milk, but this animal has ability to produce highly nutritious milk.
To make Mithun farming more profitable and commercial venture like other animals, it the need of time that these animals should be brought under semi-intensive form of rearing from the existing free range system of rearing with zero input. This will help the farmers to get regular income and will also increases the employment opportunities besides exploiting the huge market in the region for the products of Mithun origin. To exploit the potential of this animal, it is important to bring the animal in semi intensive system of rearing.
In the existing system of management least care is given to the young ones, pregnant and sick animals as the animals are kept in the forest without providing any shelter and due to hilly terrain, at times it is difficult also to bring the sick animals to the villages due to various unwarranted reasons. It is traditionally believed that Mithuns are resistant to many diseases common in domestic animals but it doesn’t hold true. There have been frequent reports from the farmers that Mithuns suffer from one or the other disease and thereby lead to death of the animals and thus heavy economic losses to the farmers. Deforestation has reduced the carrying capacity of the forests thus population of Mithuns is also dwindling.
Due to afore mentioned reasons now farmers are discouraged. The technologies developed at NRC on Mithun may provide answer to their problems so this programme has been planned to demonstration the new technology and develop a model Mithun farm so farmers from other places may be encouraged to follow the practice. There is need to conserve and increase Mithun population and to make it as an engine for economic development, this project will provides the facilities and will encouraged the villagers to rear the Mithun, which will provide better livelihood options and will uplift their economy.
The council plan has taken up the programme in collaboration with the National Research Centre on Mithun, Jharnapani for the uplift the socio-economic status through Mithun base farming system at Porba village, Phek District.