Agartala: Even as the rice production under the SRI has been showing upward trend (37 per cent) over the past ten years, Tripura government is now contemplating to promote agro-forestry across the state in a big way.
The rubber cultivation has already got tremendous response from all the state with indigenous people taking up the raising of rubber plantation to earn money.
Now, the Forest department in association with the Agriculture department wants to use the JICA project in raising agro-forestry keeping in mind of its prospect in the hilly areas.
“The agro-forestry is a scientific system of growing agriculture and forest crops on the same piece of land for optimum utilization of land and we are focusing on it to bring change in the socio-economic condition of farmers/ jumias” , said VK Bahuguna, the Principal Secretary of Forest and Agriculture.
He said during 2012-13 FY, 1945 hectares agro-forestry plantations were raised on the longs which were released by the government to the forest dwellers under the scheduled tribes and other forest dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 (RoFR Act). “For the year 2013-14 FY, the total target of the project will around 2500 hectares”, he said.
Under the JICA project, altogether nine agro-forestry models were formulated for implementation. “Each model costs around Rs. 49,000 to Rs. 52,000 while total net profit in the first five year stands at around Rs. 1,77,000 lakh to 3,91,000”, he said.
The state produces huge quantity of froths like pineapple and jack fruits besides various seasonal fruits. According to report, the state produces 5000 MT surplus of pineapple and 100,000 MT jack fruits surplus. “The state as a whole will be beneficial if we go for proper food processing units here”, Bahuguna pointed out.
Along with other demands, the state government will press for setting up a National Research Centre for jackfruit in the two-day high level meeting at Gangtok scheduled for November 29-30.
Union Minister Sharad Pawar is scheduled to hold meeting with the Secretaries of Agriculture of Northeastern states. Bahuguna on Wednesday left for Gantok to represent the state in the meeting.
