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It is worth mentioning that agriculture in Nagaland appears to be moving in the right direction, as indicated by a working paper on Indian Agriculture published by NITI Aayog in 2022. The paper highlights a study conducted to determine the Labour Income Ratio, which reveals that only two north-eastern states, Nagaland, and Manipur, are on a promising path of farmer development. This signifies an increase in both labour productivity and the number of farmers.

With the aim of advancing the agriculture sector, the Agriculture Department has established four Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) across the state. These KVKs play a crucial role in facilitating the transfer of modern technology to farmers through hands-on experience. By establishing instructional farms that focus on hydroponics, mushroom cultivation, processing units, and more, the KVKs have successfully introduced innovative techniques to the doorsteps of farmers. This edition highlights three impactful programs implemented by KVKs in Mon, Kohima, and Mokokchung.

Another noteworthy initiative is the Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM), which aims to transform agricultural production and the value chain. The Department has recently commenced the development of a roadmap to digitize agriculture in Nagaland, with the vision of revolutionizing agriculture into a productive and economically viable venture for the people of the state.Under the proactive leadership of the Indian Prime Minister, the United Nations has declared 2023 as the “International Year of Millets,” and the Department has actively engaged in the millet campaign. In line with this, the Department has formulated the ‘Millet calendar of activities’ for 2023. The Honourable Governor of Nagaland at the time, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, inaugurated the ‘International Year of Millets, 2023’ (IYoM-2023) in the presence of the Honourable Chief Minister, Shri. Neiphiu Rio, on the 74th Republic Day, January 26, 2023.

For the year 2023, the Department has committed to the millet campaign by setting a target of expanding millet cultivation to cover an area of 2000 hectares across all districts. Various activities such as awareness drives, expanding cultivation areas, value addition, market linkages, and the promotion of millet-based foods will be undertaken.

Millets have been long cultivated in Nagaland with other crops in the jhum field especially in the hilly terrains of Nagaland, being a part of its history as one of its most important cereal crop. Traditionally millets were commonly used for brewing and an integral part of community diet. Millets ensures multiple securities- food, nutrition, fodder, ecological and livelihoods.The department envisages recognizing millets as our heritage crops, offer priority, support to millet based bio-diverse farming practiced by small and marginal farmers, to enhance millet production and creating mass awareness amongst the millet farming communities as well as consumers.  

Nagaland also hosted and witnessed the historic B20 initiative, the official G20 dialogue forum for the global business community. The event emphasized Agriculture & allied services and food processing as one of its key focuses. The Department, in close coordination with its allied departments, presented a PowerPoint on ‘Agri-business Opportunities & Potential,’ represented by the APC, Shri. R. Benchilo Thong, IAS, and set up exhibition stalls at Kisama to showcase the indigenous produce of Nagaland, which holds potential for niche markets.

In another noteworthy development, the Wokhaland Organic Ginger Producer Company Limited, an FPO registered under MoVCDNER in collaboration with Colks service provider, successfully exported organic ginger to Odisha.