The Divisional Forest Office cum DMU Head Mokokchung, under the Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP) assisted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), convened its Annual Review Meeting for the Financial Year 2024–25 at Whispering Winds, Mokokchung. The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, community leaders, and representatives from the Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs), to review the project’s progress, exchange insights, and strategize future actions for forest conservation and livelihood enhancement.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Sentitula, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer cum DMU Head, highlighted the objectives and accomplishments of the NFMP in Mokokchung. She emphasized the importance of community ownership in forest management and applauded the efforts made under various forestry models adopted in the district.
Thsuvusie Phoji, Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung and Special Guest of the programme, underlined the importance of community participation in forest conservation, especially in light of the increasing man-made forest fires in the region. He posed a critical question regarding the sustainability of the initiatives post-JICA funding, which is scheduled to end after ten years. Phoji urged the Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) and village councils to begin mobilizing local resources to ensure the continuity of conservation efforts. “Success is when organizations sustain beyond the funding,” he asserted, encouraging inter-departmental convergence to make Mokokchung a hub of forest conservation.
Representing the Ao Students’ Conference (AKM), Lanutoshi Aier, President of AKM, raised concerns over declining forest cover and urged both the DFO and JFMCs to ramp up conservation initiatives. He also shared that AKM has launched a unique tree plantation initiative through Ariju centres and village councils, where students plant saplings marked with their names, symbolizing personal responsibility for the trees’ growth. Aier expressed gratitude for JICA-funded projects benefitting 18 villages in Mokokchung District and appealed to authorities to address rising air pollution levels.
The meeting featured presentations by JFMC representatives from different project batches, who reported on various themes such as:
Community-led Conservation – Purlemba, Changtongya New (Batch-I)
Plantation Models – Supong Jamir, Merangkong (Batch-II)
Success Through Convergence – Aotoshi, Aliba (Batch-III)
Sustenance of Forestry Nursery – Chujang, Chungtia (Batch-III)
JFMC Mobilization – Aripong, Mangmetong (Batch-IV)
Each speaker presented tangible outcomes such as the construction of retaining walls in accident-prone areas, establishment of water ponds and nurseries, distribution of indigenous fruit saplings, water supply systems, community halls, and entrepreneurship initiatives aimed at women’s empowerment.
Moamongba, ACF cum R.F.O Tuli Range, proposed the vote of thanks, acknowledging the support of all stakeholders in the success of NFMP.
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About the Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP)
Launched in 2018–19, the NFMP is a 10-year initiative jointly implemented by the Government of Nagaland and JICA, aimed at restoring forest ecosystems and improving rural livelihoods through community-based forest management. With an estimated cost of ₹533 crores, the project covers 185 villages across 11 forest divisions in the state. The project addresses twin challenges of low-carbon forest cover and unsustainable jhum (shifting) cultivation practices, which supports around 60% of Nagaland’s population.
Key strategies of NFMP include:
Strengthening Conservation through Community Participation – Empowering local communities via Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs).
Diversifying Livelihoods – Encouraging convergence to improve household income.
Institutional Capacity Building – Leveraging GIS tools and structured monitoring via PMU/DMU/FMU models.
The project operates across Mokokchung Range and Changtongya Beat, covering 18 villages under four batches. Since 2020, the division has restored 4,968 hectares using five plantation models—Jhum Agroforestry (JAF), Jhum Fallow Forestry (JFF), Jhum Conversion to Forestry (JCF), Jhum Conversion to Conservation Area (JCC), and Protection/Expansion of Existing Conservation Areas (PEC). In 2025 alone, an additional 1,289 hectares will be developed, with 2,20,767 saplings planted.
The Forest Survey 2023 reported a net gain of 14.88 sq. km in forest cover in Mokokchung, directly attributed to NFMP’s efforts. However, challenges such as low survival rates in the JCF model persist. The project now aims to scale successful models like JAF and PEC, strengthen monitoring systems, and explore carbon credit opportunities through the MDF.
