Arunachal: Basar Hosts NICRA Workshop to Tackle Climate Crisis Through Resilient Agriculture and Innovation
BASAR– In a forward-looking move to strengthen climate resilience in agriculture, a one-day workshop on “Transforming Food, Land, and Water Systems to Combat the Climate Crisis in Arunachal Pradesh” was organized at the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Arunachal Pradesh Centre, Basar. The event was conducted under the National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project as part of the Prime Minister’s Departmental Summit initiative.
The workshop brought together over 50 participants including scientists, government officials, NGOs, AsrSLM, Rubber Board, and administrative representatives to address the growing implications of climate change on food and water security in the region.
Dr. Lobsang Wangchu, Head of ICAR Basar, delivered the welcome address and emphasized NICRA’s key role in Soil Moisture Conservation (SMC). He also highlighted the Centre’s ongoing research in Integrated Farming Systems (IFS), crop calendars, and conservation of local oranges and cattle.
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Shri Tobom Bam, Joint Director of Horticulture (GoAP), addressed the global climate crisis and emphasized local responsibility in driving climate solutions. He stressed the importance of preventive action and public awareness.
Balung Mengu, Director of Agriculture Marketing (GoAP), promoted natural farming and urged for more eco-friendly agricultural practices to safeguard the ecosystem while ensuring food security.
Chief Guest Dr. Mary N. Taloh, SDO, called for scalable innovations in agriculture to be translated to the field through demonstrations and capacity building. She stressed the urgency of climate-resilient technologies to boost productivity.
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The technical sessions, chaired by Shri Balung Mengu and co-chaired by Shri Tobom Bam, featured expert talks including:
- Ampee Tasung (ICAR): Spoke on NICRA’s achievements and double cropping in jhum areas to enhance cropping intensity.
- Kaushik Bhagawati (IMD): Explained the rising rainfall intensity but fewer rainy days, disrupting traditional crop cycles across agro-climatic zones.
- Tobom Bam: Suggested intercropping with medicinal plants, shade nets, and biopesticides as climate mitigation tools in horticulture.
- Techi Taura, Entomologist (DoA, GoAP): Advocated for afforestation with indigenous species, promotion of local varieties like rice, maize, millets, and suggested identifying early-sowing rice varieties due to shifting rainfall patterns.
- ICAR Head recommended setting up a State Variety Release Committee (SVRC) under the Agriculture Department and emphasized scientific interventions in shifting cultivation to protect local germplasm and traditional knowledge.
The workshop concluded with a presentation of proceedings by Dr. Patu Khate, Senior Scientist, and a vote of thanks by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Pandey, Senior Scientist (Agronomy). Participants appreciated the platform and called for more such collaborative workshops in the future to tackle climate challenges through local solutions and science-based policy.
