The Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP) is supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with the aim to improve forest ecosystems and support income generation through rehabilitation of the Jhum area and the provision of livelihood support, thereby contributing to sustainable forest and environmental conservation and livelihood improvement.
The NFMP JICA Project under Mokokchung Division has been successfully implemented in all the project villages since 2020. Under the Batch-1 Villages, the villages include Changtongya New, Mopungchuket, and Mongsenyimti. They have covered plantation sites and conservation sites totaling 1022 hectares, planting around 1,80,000 saplings.
The villagers had been raising nurseries in small quantities before the project, but with the help of the project, the Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) are now able to raise thousands of them, incorporating their traditional knowledge and technical knowledge.
After planting in their intervention sites, they are able to provide saplings to the villagers as well as other department projects. Under Batch 2, there are six villages comprising Sungratsu. In Chakpa, Longmisa,Salulemang, Merangkong, and Yaongyimsen,the total area covered under plantations and conservation sites is 2400 hectares, and the number of seedlings planted is around 4,20,000.
The villagers in Batch II have also picked up the expertise of documenting flora and fauna through camera traps. The batch of three villages for the current year to be taken up are Aliba,Chungtia,Longkong, Longpa, and Kelingmen. Under the Batch I and II villages, 27 SHGs have been formed, and various income-generating activities are being done by the respective groups after prior approval from the JFMCs.
The DMU review meeting was held on April 11, 2023, and was attended by all 14 villages with representatives from JFMCs and SHGs. All the JFMC presidents have given PowerPoint presentations on their ongoing work, and the SHGs have also presented their activities. Success stories of raising Khokon Nursery were shared by Mr. Sademmar Mongsenyimti, JFMC President, and Mr.Bendangjungshi,Longmisa,JFMC Treasurer.
The programme was chaired by Smt.Aosungla, Forester-I, and the welcome address was given by Ailong Phom, ADMU head. All the work captured through a mobile app on the field at the project villages was presented by the forest personnel of each village through the online Web GIS portal. Facilitating NGOs are also working under each DMU to facilitate the JFMCs and SHGs; the NDO (Nagaland Development Outreach) works as an FNGO with the Mokokchung DMU.
The Team Leader of the FNGO,Mr. Akumtoshi, has presented on the successful implementation of various convergence programmes, and one such activity is the Direct Aid Programme from the Australian Consulate, which was implanted by the Merangkong JFMCs. A vote of thanks was pronounced by Shri.Moamongba,Assistant Conservator of Forests, and Cum FMU Head Changtongya.
The Nokinketer 