Kohima, March 9 Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio presented the Nagaland Agriculture Policy 2025 in the assembly on Monday, outlining a detailed roadmap to strengthen the sector, enhance farmers' income, and promote climate-resilient farming practices.
The policy aims to address long-standing challenges faced by the sector, including low productivity, limited irrigation facilities, poor market linkages, and vulnerability to climate change, officials said.
Agriculture remains the backbone of Nagaland's economy, with a large section of the population dependent on farming and allied activities for livelihood.
The policy envisions the development of a sustainable, resilient, and market-oriented agricultural economy that improves the livelihood of farmers while conserving the state's natural resources and traditional farming knowledge.
One of the key objectives of the policy is to enhance agricultural productivity and ensure food and nutritional security across the state, the officials said.
The state government aims to achieve this through improved seeds, better crop management practices, modern technologies, and the expansion of irrigation infrastructure, they said.
The policy also seeks to increase farmers' income by promoting diversification and commercialization of agriculture. It encourages farmers to adopt high-value crops such as spices, fruits, vegetables, and plantation crops, which have strong market demand within and outside the state.
Another important objective is the promotion of sustainable agriculture through the efficient use of land and water resources, soil conservation, and climate-resilient farming practices. The policy emphasizes protecting biodiversity while ensuring that agricultural activities remain environmentally sustainable, they said.
The policy was among several reports and documents laid before the House by Rio on the third day of the ongoing budget session.