This article entitled “Low Agricultural growth rate of Manipur - Issues and Concern” is based on the findings of the research works that had been carried out in the entire NE India; the experiences and familiarity of the various existing socioeconomics-cultural-political status of the state of Manipur.

It is an attempt to make the agricultural issues of Manipur more aware and hence the strategy or the policy concerned so that it can be a handy tool for further course of action of the upcoming researchers and the policy maker.

Nestled in the North-Eastern Region of the India sub-continent. Mani-pur is a beautiful state located between 23°81' N to 25°68'N latitude and 93°03'E to 94°75'E longitude sharing an international boundary with Myanmar in the East which also lies to its south along with Mizoram. It is bounded by the Cachar District of Assam in the West and to its North lies Nagaland.

Physio-graphically, Manipur is one of the most enchanting place in the country. It can be broadly classified into three well defined geographical region vizely; the hilly region, the central plain or the Manipur valley and the Jiribam plain. The hilly region of Manipur covers about 90% of the total land area of the state. It stretches mainly from North to South or North-South parallel folds with an altitude varying altitude of 833m to 3030m above MSL.

The Manipur valley is situated in the central part in Manipur covering an area of 1843m2 which account for about 9% of total land area of the state having an oval shaped elevated plain surrounded by hilly on all sides and extended about 58 km from North to South and 31 km from East to West. About 70% of the total population of the state resided in the central plain of Manipur. The whole valley slopes from North to South. The Jiribam plain lies beyond the Manipur Western hill tract covering an area of 1% of the land area.

Agriculture is the back bone of Manipuri’s economy. About 80% of the state total population are engaged in agriculture and allied activity. There are vast tracts of fertile land in Manipur with a gross cropped area of 285000 ha which account for about 12.98% of the total land areas of the state and the about 82% of the gross cropped areas is utilize for paddy cultivation. The tribal people living in the hills usually practice Jhum cultivation. The overall cropping intensity of the state is 108% only.

Rice is the stable fruit crop in Manipur which is grown on a large scale. Paddy is the largest cultivated crop both in hills and in plans. The other important food crops of the state include wheat, maize and pulses. Potato, ginger, gram, cauliflower, cabbage, mustard, turmeric, and other spices crop are the major crops of Manipur. Among the horticultural crop, pineapple, banana, lemon, orange, passion fruit, pomegranate, papaya orchid, cashew nut etc.

The state has a very rich species of flora. A number of medicinal plants are found in the region. The state has got a suitable climate and environment for practising sericulture. Bamboo, oak, teak, leihao and uningthou etc. cover the forest areas. Manipur has got plenty of fishing resources in the form of lack, reservoir, tanks, ponds, marshy areas, natural basin, water lock areas and canal etc, occupying 56461.00 ha.

Inspite of having various agro-climatic conditions and natural resources, it is reported that the growth rate of Manipur economy is the lowest during the 11th Five Years Plan Period among all the NE State. Further, the Union Planning Commission has also indicated that the economic, position of the state is not likely to change for the better in the years to come.

According to an official source the Planning Commission has calculated that with an increase growth rate of just 5.9%, Manipur has lowest economy growth among the NE State during the 11th Five Year Plan. Sector wise, Manipur recorded only 1.2% of growth in agricultural as against 8.4% of Nagaland and 2.3% of All India rate.

Out of the total outlay of Rs. 2804.00 Crs of the 10th Plan, the amount allotted to agriculture and allied activities was Rs. 96.432 Crs only. Sector-wise consumption of power in Manipur shows that only 2.07 lakh KWH have used in irrigation and agriculture, the irrigation potential to the state during the 10th Plan from the Multi-Purposes and Medium project have been 59945 ha.

During 10th Plan, the proposed outlay for river lift irrigation scheme has been Rs 3000 lakh with the target to create irrigation potential of 4450 ha. Also Rs. 960 /ha has been proposed with the target of drilling 95 deep tube wells to give benefit to 500 ha. The same has been purposes for the Command Areas Development Project. Out of the 90 scheduled commercial banks, the total account available for lending to agricultural sector was Rs. 9276 lakh and amount lended was Rs. 383 lakh. The above figures are merely meant for Govt gazette.

It has been reported from the various pockets of Orange planters in Tamenglong District that the orchards in Thangal and others remote orange growing areas are no more productive due to citrus declining. Recent orange festival in Tamenglong reveals that the farmers are facing a lot of marketing problem.

Passion fruits (the fruit crop of the new millennium) has occupying a major share in horticultural sector. Its cultivation is being carried out both in the valley and hilly area of the entire state. But, recent alarm on the marketing of the fruit reported from Ukhrul Districts of Manipur has drawn the attention of the potential growers regarding the non-existing of market and low marketing prices. The same has been face for the pineapple wherein the farmers have not got remunerative price and fruit got rotten during peak season. The potentiality of 'Kachai Lemon' is not given enough thrust by the Govt.

In the current year 2006-07, the kharif crops season was marked with scanty rainfall. Even in many pockets of the districts, paddy cultivation had abandoned. Not only this, the harvesting season of food-grains was threaten and badly effected by the hailstorms resulting in heavy loss. The fruits of the labour of the entire cultivation season were “the tears” of the lakhs of farmers. Due to deforestation, others infrastructure development and population explosion, the actual operational holding has been fragmented and diminished.

Developing infrastructure in both the valley and hilly areas has affected the past ecology of the inhabitants in their socio-economic aspects. Recent study conducted in hill districts of Manipur regarding the production and marketing of species crops reveal that growers have been facing the problem of low remunerative prices and transportation problem.

It is also found that many cultivators are facing the problem of land-tenure ship. Another study on “Economics of Production and Marketing of Vegetable crops” in valley districts of state shown that the production is far below the actual requirement inspite of having the low agro-technology, perishable nature, lack of cool storage facility and other social and political factor too.

Study conducted by Department of Agricultural Economics, CAD, regarding the “Disparity in Rice production in different Districts of Manipur” shows that district wise used of manures and fertilizer are far below the average recommended dose or sometimes nil in hill districts.

The growth rate of area, production and yield in different district exhibit distinctly. Among the hill districts, Churachandpur and Senapati districts show high growth rate and among the valley districts, Imphal district shows better performance than Thoubal and Bishnupur.

Both the hill and valley district show instability in the production of rice. The percentage contribution of area, yield and their interaction effect of Churachandpur and Senapati district has been remarkable. The study shows that district with high growth rate exhibits high instability.

The improvement in the production of rice is mainly due to increase in yield rather than in area expansion. A finding on “Problems of Farm Diversification in North-East’ by the ICAR for NE Region Lamphelpat, Div of Agri Economics shows that irrigation facility; low agro-technology; marketing risks and others socio-political factors are the major hindrances relating to farm diversification in the north east.

It’s of well known verse that ba-mboo holds a unique position in the society of Manipur in terms of socio-economic-cultural and political aspects too. However, the burning issue on Bamboo-flowering in Tamenglong district of Manipur is of intense disaster throughout the State.

A study conducted on the “Problems and Constraints of Bamboo Cultivation in Tamenglong Districts of Manipur” indicates that Bamboo flowering; land-tenure ship; low-remunerative prices; and transportation are the main problems and constraints giving hindrance to the bamboo growers of the districts.

Since the ratio of valley to hill areas is 1:10, the growth and development of the State in terms of socio-economic aspects cannot be brought up until and unless the disparity in both the situation is narrowed down or mitigated. As usual 1 sq.km in the main market of capital (i.e. Khwairamband Bazar) cannot account Imphal as the Town or City.

In the other words, the State of Manipur can be called as Rural Areas. On the other hand, per square km of inhabitant of the State are 107. Emphasis should be given to the hilly districts. The traditional Shifting Cultivation Method must be replaced by the technically feasible method like the Contour Sowing and Terracing.

This will minimize the risks of environmental degradation such as losses of top soil or siltation etc. Scientists and other researchers must produce HYVs for hilly areas and provide the same to farmers. To follow it, practical model of water-harvesting and micro-irrigation-technique along the Contours and farm-site must be provided.

Farm diversification with fruit cr-ops, poultry, piggery, fodder-crops or Alternate Land-Use-System providing erosion-resistant crops are to be incorporated along with the knowledge of Integrated Pest Mana-gement and Integrated Nutrient Management Te-chnique. Cash crops or plantation crops can be introduced with respects to the existing agro-climatic Zones.

The best model which can be recommended for the hilly region is the ‘Three-Tier-System where-in Silvi-Horti-Agri. Farming System”. With respects to the valley areas, the average operational holding of land has been decreasing due to Infrastructure Development, Global Warming and Population Explosion etc. But it has been found from various studies that productivity or the technical efficiency of farm increases as the size of holding is small when compare to the large size. In order to exploit it, those arable cropped area with assured irrigation facility can both be Intensified and Diversified. Agri-Horti-Poultry-Pisci Culture Farming System can be the best agricultural farming system in such type of areas. Those rainfed areas in the valley region can also be intensified by introducing oilseed crops, pulses etc. Farm diversification with vegetable crops, spices crops, piggery, poultry and even fishery can be introduced and adopted. The waste-land areas, sloppy foothills, village road-side and community land etc can be reclaimed and made productive by planting or introducing the Bio-diesels and other Energy plantation.

Water-Harvesting Technique at the farm-sites; Systems of Rice Intensification; Cultivation of Arobic Rice etc can also be introduced to the farmers. Likewise, the Jiribam plains can effectively be used for cash and plantation crops etc.

Again infrastructure development can make huge changes in the entire agricultural scenario of the state. Competent authority of Govt must take care of this so as to improve the number of tanks, irrigation canal, water harvesting technique at the farm site, irrigation projects etc.

The idea being excluding or omission of “Serving for Pay Only” in the entire State. Work culture of the total working forces must be changed for the betterment of the society. Power or Rural Electrification must be made available. Improvement in the existing road and transport, providing adequate and effective cold Storage/Warehousing structures.

To do so, co-operation from each and every section of the society is also a must, healthy economic and social environment must be maintained so as to develop a congenient atmosphere, self-understanding and realizing are very important for this.

Agricultural credit scenario in the State shows that the credit extending units are by and large the private agencies. Public sector contributes fewer share, however, the debt recovery is less inspite of low percentage. Generally efforts should be made so as to increase the share of credit by the commercial banks.

To do with, repayment characteristics of the farmers must also be improved in the sense that Govt expenditure cannot be recycled without repaying their debts. Out of the total account available for lending to agriculture sector in the year 2005-06, i.e. Rs 9276 lakh, the amount lended to agriculture was only Rs. 3383 lakh. In general, the amount sanction for SEGP (Self Employment Generation Scheme) to agricultural sector is not properly used by the beneficiaries. This is a very sorry figure for the peoples of Manipur.

The water area in Manipur State have shrunk from around 1,00,000 ha in 1990 to around 56,461.00 ha in 1993. The swamps and marshy areas are lying barren without effective utilization. The lakes, reservoirs, beeps, tanks, canals etc cover an area of about 13,221.45 ha where-as rivers and others account for 13,888.27 ha.

These swamps can be profitably utilize for rearing of various indigenous natural fishes such as Ukabi (Anabas lesdudi-neus), Ngamu (Lata fish), Ngaton (Labeo bata), Ngakijou (Lepidocepha-lichthys Spp.), Sareng-khoibi (Botia Spp.), Nganap (Pengia Spp.), Ngatin (Labeo pangusia), Ngakra (Barbus tor), Nga-sang (Esomus denricus), Phabounga (Puntius Spp), Penga (Osteobrama bala-ngeri) etc.

The production of fish in Manipur for the year 2004-05 was estimated to be 17.80 thousand ton-nes and the requirement was 23.00 thousand tones. The per capita requirement of fish in 2000-01 was 6.99 kg. This gap is to be mitigated by harnessing the diverse fishing resource of the State, adopting advance scientific method of culture and introducing deshi breeds of fish, by way of consolidation of the available infrastructure and by introducing the new scheme and projects.

This could enable to meet not only the requirement of fish in the State but also could export to the neighbouring States like Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and even to neighbouring country, Myanmar.

National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) providing insurance coverage and financial support to farmer in the event of failure of any of the notified crops must be beneficial to the farmers of Manipur. Minimum Support Price for agricultural crops must also be beneficial too.

Livestock’s Insurance Scheme needs to be implemented. Agricultural marketing reforms such as post-harvest & marketing infrastructure like grading, packaging, and transportation and storage facility are to be created on a large scale.

Agricultural Extension Services need to be strengthened so as to improve the transfer of technology to both the skilled & unskilled fanners. Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business, Kishan-Call-Centres and Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) for the transfer of technology or dissemination particularly at district level must be implemented at the earliest.

Here, Krishi Vighyan Kendras (KVKs) can play a big role. But, the numbers of KVKs existed and their performance must be improved. Public Private Partnership (PPP) so as to facilitate agricultural marketing (including Contract Farming) need to be implemented in the state too.

Central Govt sponsored programme like the watershed approach for rain-fed areas, shifting-cultivation and waste-land must be strengthen too. A study conducted on the “Socio-Economic Analysis of Watershed Development Project” revealed that watershed development components on soil and water conservation were not given much emphasis. This calls the implementing agencies, stake-holders and other participating units to be competent enough.

National Horticultural Mission & National Mission for Bamboo and Trade Development must given thrust to the state so as to tap and manage the horticultural and bamboo resources of the state. The competency of the implementing agencies is a must.

To conclude, for effective management of such scarce resources, two-way strategy approaches need to be adopted. One is based on the Direct (Macro) approach so as to fill the gaps relating to land; water; capital and technology transfer through Govt intervention. The other is based on indirect approach focusing on the individual units working at the micro-level.

Here, transparency & decentralization can be the two key factors. If all these strategy are reached at the doorsteps of the fanners either by the Govt or by its machineries, we are sure that the state will exhibit a balanced and steady growth in the years to come.