Care givers and frontline functionaires at the start of Poshan Pakhwada on April 9.

Department of Rural Development, in collaboration with Secheku Area Public Organisation (SAPO) Phek, organized a capacity building and training programme for rural leaders under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) on March 21, at Sakraba Village Community Hall.
A press release by the department stated that resource person Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Phek, Enyiwekha Wezah, delivered insightful session on the topic “Conservation of Biodiversity”, whereby he stressed the urgent need to protect and preserve rich biodiversity of the region.
He highlighted threats posed by deforestation, shifting cultivation, and unsustainable exploitation of natural resources and thereby encouraged village leaders to take proactive roles in conservation efforts by promoting community forest management, adopting sustainable land-use practices, and creating awareness among villagers about environmental protection. He also emphasized importance of balancing development activities with ecological sustainability to ensure long-term benefits for future generations.
Resource person State Programme Manager (SPM), RGSA, Kezhasalie Medoze spoke extensively on “Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)”. He explained that GPDP is a crucial tool for decentralized planning and plays vital role in ensuring inclusive and participatory development at grassroots level. He elaborated the process of preparing GPDP, including need identification, community participation, resource mapping, and prioritization of development activities. He further urged rural leaders to actively involve all sections of society, including women and marginalized groups, in the planning process to ensure transparency and accountability.
The release added that the programme was enriched by cultural presentations, with folk songs performed by Kiino D. Vadeo and Chozino Vadeo.