The pandemic occurring at the onset of kharif season and just as harvesting of the Rabi crops was ongoing; brought the agricultural activities in the field to a grinding halt.
The department therefore on an emergency mode initiated to assess the shortfall in seeds & other inputs, the percentage disruption in sowing in the Upland Jhum and related off -farm constraints’ in agricultural operations faced by farmers during the lockdown period.
Co-ordinating with the district and sub divisional officers and with the services of Field functionaries and Farmers friend placed at respective villages the survey was compiled. Except in pockets ,namely, Yokumdang in Tuensang (50 %) and some farming villages in Meluri subdivision (60%) and Dimapur Sadar (60%) ,across the state, the targeted area under current Jhum reported 85 to 100 % seed sowing of Coarse Cereals and Paddy crops that will continue staggered sowing till May. The reasons cited for negligible non-achievement of the target were -the non availability of farm labour on account of the lockdown.
The Agriculture State Advisory during COVID-19 lockdown for farmers and relevant SOP’s as general precautionary and safety measures during field operations to avoid the field level contagious spread of corona virus was circulated using the Agriculture Service Whatsapp to the DAO’s & SDAO’s for dissemination to the farmers & farm women .The information specifically mentioned of the Government of India’s directive exempting Agriculture & Allied activities and easing their movement to ensure smooth functioning of agrarian activities from lockdown for awareness to the rural communities too. Using the same social forum, crop damage due to heavy rainfall ,thunder squalls and hailstorms from 15th April and subsequent days that was weather warned through the IMD was monitored actively .The district and sub divisional field officers filed in reports of severe impacts and crop area damages ,the assessment which is still under report. Preliminary survey indicated Potato, Maize, Jobstear’s, Paddy, Kholar and Vegetable crops affected in the districts areas of Kohima, Tuensang, Longleng, Dimapur, Zunheboto, Phek, Kiphire & Mokokchung respectively.
Post positioning of seeds & inputs to the districts and subdivision are reserved and under transport looking into the need based schedules of various areas, which are closely monitored by the respective jurisdiction officer to ensure that the needy farmers & farmwomen are the beneficiaries. The Department has also worked out an agricultural contingency plan-a crop calendar as a field guide to be utilized in the field areas requiring a contingency plan in consultation with the subject matter specialist of KVK’s & ICAR’s.
The other supporting activity was the contribution of 197 Agricultural Sprayers and farm gloves to the Administration and Town committees from the Agriculture Directorate, the district and sub-divisional offices that are being utilized judiciously during sanitization of public places and certain identified zones. In Dimapur, the departments’ Administrative block at Agri-Expo, 4th Mile is being utilized by the District Administration into a 100 bedded ‘temporary relief camp’. And, at Aboi, the Krishi Vigyan Kendra office building earmarked to hold an 8 bedded ‘Isolation Ward’.
In addition, the 682 Farmers Friend engaged under Extension Reforms Scheme (ATMA) who are themselves progressive farmers & farmwomen or Farm school teachers were provided with their contingency fund to meet their expenses towards discharge of duties including incidental expenses .The funds for the Farmers Friends were made available by e-transfer to the 11 district Project Director, ATMA’s to be DBT’s to their accounts. The amount of Rs 6000/- (Rupees Six thousand) per FF will therefore financially support as immediate relief during these pandemic lockdown and ensure their farm movement.
On the 16th of April 2020 the Minister of Agriculture, G.Kaito Aye participated in the Video Conferencing with Union Minister of Agriculture along with other State Agriculture Ministers on the Agriculture situation in the present COVID-19 lockdown. In the conference, he appraised that so far there was no problem of taking up agriculture activities in the state. However, should there be any issues in the later stages; the matter will be intimated through official correspondence.
Under PM-KISAN, during the lockdown period, all Request For Transfer (RFT) by the Department to the Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare was completed to receive Rs 126.78 crores from the programme by the farmers all across the state thereby benefiting 1, 90,918 farmers who fulfilled all the prescribed criteria
Report of recurrence of FAW (Fall Army Worm) in Pughoboto (Ighavito village) in Maize crops are further being assessed by field functionaries for percentage & area of damage.
(DIPR)