Challenge in NEH region

Terrace farming and shifting cultivation (Jhum cultivation) are the major patterns that the farmers employ to practice agriculture in North-Eastern region. Fragmentation of the land holdings and undulating terrain are main reasons of low agricultural productivity and poor livelihood security of rural people of NE states. Seed is a critical and basic input for attaining higher crop yields and sustained growth in agricultural production. Distribution of assured quality seed is as critical as the production of such seeds. Unfortunately, good quality seeds are out of reach of the majority of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers mainly because of exorbitant prices of commercially available seeds. Primitive farm implement and tools are in use which warrants introduction of appropriate mechanization. There is no facility for value addition through processing of fruits and crop produce. There is a serious lack of modern agricultural technologies and limited physical and economical access. Livestock is an important component of rural economy of this region, however due to unavailability of nutritive feed animal productivity is poor.