TURA: The District Level Consultative meeting on Meghalaya Livelihood and Access to Market Project (MeghaLAMP) was held at DRDA Conference Hall in Tura on Wednesday evening to review on strategy formulation, convergence plan and way forward for integrated delivery mechanism in the district. It may be mentioned that in West Garo Hills, Selsella, Dadenggre and Tikrikilla are the three participating blocks under IFAD funded MeghaLAMP Project.
The meeting was organised by District Project Management Unit, West Garo Hills with support of Regional Office, MBDA Tura under the guidance of Chairman and Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills Tura. The consultative and sensitization meeting which was chaired by Ram Singh, Chairman IBDLP and DC Tura was organised to share Aide-Memoire the inputs and feedback of the IFAD Mid-Term Review (MTR) recently fielded during the month of June-July this year in the 18 participating blocks in the state.
During the meeting, the core components of Meghalamp was discussed which comprises of Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP), Inclusive Supply Chain and Enterprise Development, Rural Finance and Knowledge Service. The goal of the scheme is to improve the family income and quality of life of the people by providing sustainable livelihood opportunities adapted to hill environment and to the effects of climate change.
Referring to his field visits especially in village areas, the Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills Ram Singh requested the concerned departments to maintain and do justice to the existing schemes being implemented in these areas. Further, with regard to deforestation and drying up of water sources in the region, he requested the concerned department to check deforestation, encourage plantation of trees mainly near water sources and apex of the ridge and ensure that people follow the rules of keeping 50 metres away from sources of water.
Senior Scientist, and Head Incharge, ICAR, KVK, Tura A S Singh shared various advantages of adopting integrated farming system which also provides more profit to the farmers. He said that banana plantation can be done along the fishery pond which will not only provide bananas but at the same time will help to recharge the water level and can also rear ducks in the same pond which will provide eggs to the farmer.
With regard to large scale plantation of Arecanut and Black Pepper by farmers in Garo hills region, Singh said that it is necessary to leave a gap of 80 cm between arecanut and black pepper plantation in terms of providing appropriate nourishment to the plants. Replying to a query for preserving and recharging the main water sources of the region, he said that Duabanga Grandiflora plant species helps to recharge water and has been planted in some areas of the region.
Officer on Special Duty, Meghalaya Basin Development Authority, Shillong E Shampru informed that since the state is merging with organic production in the state, farmers were asked to opt for organic farming. He also mentioned about the construction of 250 KM eco-friendly road construction in various villages of the blocks in which 22 Km will be implemented through Basin Development Unit (BDU) and Block Development Officer (BDO) while the rest will be implemented through State Rural Employment Society for better connectivity and marketing infrastructure in the region.
District Project Manager, BDU, Tura V Valentine in his power point presentation briefed the gathering about the objectives and developmental activities of the district. He also mentioned about the proposed INRMP Interventions of Target villages under MeghaLAMP in West Garo Hills district including plantation of pineapple, ginger and black pepper in Dadenggre area, black pepper and ginger in Tikrikilla area and cashew and black pepper in Selsella area.