Agriculture and Land Use in Nagaland Samadangla Ao

University of Minnesota, 2015

Recently burned cropland

Maturing cropland

Agriculture

Livelihood

Sustainability? Economy

Socio-Cultural

Population & Geography

• Area: 16,579 km2

• Population: 1.98 million

• Rural Population: 71%

• Tribal (16 tribes)

• 60 dialects

Climate & Topography

• Precipitation : ~ 1000 to 3000 mm

• Temperature: Summer ~ 15 - 30 ⁰C

Winter ~ 5 - 25oC

• Elevation: ~ 194 to 3048 m

Contributors to Economy Growth

• Agriculture: 23%

• Sevices: 44%

• Industry: 33%

Agriculture 60%

Cottage industry

1%

Others 39%

Distribution of workers (2011 census)

Kapoor, 2012; Directorate of Economics and Statistics, 2013

Land Use & Ownership

Forest area 52%

Non-Ag land 16%

Fallow land 9%

Current Cropland

23%

Distribution of Land use in Nagaland

• 70 % cropland is in hilly terrain

• Land ownership

~ 88% private/community

~ 12% government

Govt. of Nagaland, 2012; Directorate of Economics and Statistics, 2013

Cropping Systems

Shifting cultivation (Jhum)

Wet rice cultivation

Slashed forest: Dec/Jan (1)

Burning: Feb (2)

Seedbed prep/planting: March (3)

After 2 or 3yrs fallow (6)

Harvest: Aug/Sept (5)

Weeding: Mid-season (4)

Jhum Cycle

Photo: Kichu

Photo: Changkija

Alder-based Jhum

Photo: Cairns and Brookfield, 2011

Wet Rice Cultivation

Cairns and Brookfield, 2011

Food Production & External Input

• Average rice production

(2013)

– Jhum ~ 1.9 MT ha-1

– Wet rice ~ 2.5 MT ha-1 • Rice variety • Fertility

• Fertilizer Use (2013) ~ 6 kg ha-1 – N:P:K consumption ratio

3:2:1

Directorate of Economics and Statistics, 2013

Rice 45% Maize

17%

Other cereals

4%

Pulses 9%

Oil seeds 16%

Cash crops 9%

Area occupies by different crops

Soil Conservation

Photos: Changkija

Zabo: Nutrient & Water Management

Photos: Changkija

Post-harvest: Crop & Field Management

Photo: Changkija

Photo: Krug, 2009

Sustainability

• Land use - Food security

• Infrastructure

• Economic Income

Thank You Dr. Karlyn Eckman

Photo Courtesy

Dr. Sapu Changkija Suchamayang Kichu

Question?