TURA, Jan 4: The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) is reportedly tying up with OneLife Agricole Pvt Ltd for the afforestation in forests of Garo Hills with Teak and other numerous medicinal plants and endangered local herbs, by giving its lands for agricultural use to the company.
An agreement to this effect was reportedly signed between company officials and Council Chief Executive Member (CEM) Albinush R Marak on December 21 last year, in the presence of other GHADC officials, including Secretary, S Ricardo R Marak.
As per the agreement, the GHADC proposed to make available 15,000 hectares of Council-administered land for the project that is slated to bring large foreign investment to that part of Meghalaya with the projects structured to also hugely benefit the local communities that are on the land and involved with the projects.
Likewise, OneLife agreed to move their team of international experts into Garo Hills to steer the project. These will include scientists and agronomists from Israel, the USA and South Africa alongside a senior Indian team.
“The company is stepping up with investment in agriculture in the northeast region and foresee that agriculture should in the near future form the backbone of biodiverse and eco-friendly agricultural development which will consequently bolster conservation efforts being put in by the Council Forest Department by enhancing livelihood and providing sustainable alternatives from dependency on its forests,” informed company officials.
According to the officials, a number of other projects and investments in the region are also to be announced in the near future.
“It is high time that communities who in the past have paid a severe price for being mindful of caring for their ecosystems be rewarded by industry and government. The Garo people are one such community and it is our privilege to partner with them in sustainable agricultural development. As the project succeeds, we will make sure to see the community flourish,” they added.
