Kohima: Nagaland officials met in Kohima on September 10 to launch an aggressive plan for economic self-sufficiency. The state wants to fix massive gaps in education, agriculture, horticulture, and livestock production as part of its Viksit Nagaland 2047 initiative. Development Commissioner Y Kikheto Sema led the consultation at the Civil Secretariat. He wants the state to stop bleeding cash to outside markets.
Families in Nagaland spend at least 1,500 crore rupees every year sending students to study outside the state. Sema believes better local schools could keep that money at home. He also pointed to a 1,000 crore rupee annual bill for imported meat and meat products. The state currently relies heavily on imports for paddy and other produce. Production must climb before exports can begin.
Sema pressed academic leaders to get to work. He urged the School of Agricultural Sciences in Medziphema to study shifting cultivation. "Research activities at the newly established college were still at an initial stage," noted Dr. I Shakuntala Devi of the College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry in Jalukie. She pointed toward the market potential for improved smoked meat technologies. Other experts flagged poor irrigation as a major drag on farm income.
Representatives from Nagaland University and various state departments are now gathering data to guide the Vision 2047 document. The final report is slated for release by December 2026. Departments must coordinate to bridge the demand and supply gaps. Accurate data remains a hurdle, especially after the closure of state check gates made tracking meat imports harder.
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