Nagaland experience guides roadmap for Northeast
DIMAPUR: The 4th Mithun Day, themed “Celebrating the Pride of the Hills,” was celebrated at the District Library Auditorium, Haflong, Dima Hasao, with the participation of more than 450 mithun farmers and over 100 officials from government departments, ICAR institutions and stakeholder organisations on September 3, 2026.
Organised by ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun (NRCM), Medziphema, in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bengaluru, and the Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department under the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council (DHAC), the programme brought together political leaders, scientists and farmers on a common platform.
The celebration was graced by Nilima Devi, minister for Animal Husbandry & Veterinary and Fishery Department, Government of Assam, as chief guest. Debolal Gorlosa, chief executive member, DHAC, and Gabriel Denwang Wangsu, minister for Agriculture and Veterinary, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, attended as guests of honour. Distinguished guests included Dr. Raghavendra Bhatta, DDG (Animal Science), ICAR; Dr. K.M. Bujarbaruah, former vice chancellor, Assam Agricultural University; Dr. Niranjan Kalita, Vice Chancellor, Assam Veterinary and Fisheries University; Dr. Girish Patil S., director, ICAR-NRCM; Rupali Langthasa, MLA, Haflong; and Manjit Niding, executive member, DHAC.
The inaugural programme featured the inauguration of stalls, distribution of inputs to mithun farmers and addresses by dignitaries. Dr. Girish Patil S. delivered a presentation on “Mithun Sector in Assam: Prospects & Challenges,” highlighting opportunities and challenges in strengthening mithun production.
Ministers assure support for mithun sector: A key highlight was the assurance of full support from political and administrative leadership for taking the mithun sector forward in Dima Hasao. Leaders emphasised the district’s suitability for mithun farming, citing favourable climate and local conditions. Deliberations stressed the need for scientific farming systems, improved husbandry, animal health services, infrastructure and government support. The participation of over 450 farmers demonstrated growing interest in mithun based livelihoods.
Roundtable charts roadmap for Northeast: A roundtable discussion on “Strategies for Development of Mithun Sector in NER” was moderated by Dr. K.M. Bujarbaruah and Dr. Girish Patil S. Policymakers, scientists and farmer representatives from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland deliberated on scientific mithun farming, fencing, semi intensive rearing systems and breed registration. The high cost of fencing and land issues were discussed, with proposals for policy frameworks to address these challenges.
Animal health, fodder and FMD control prioritised: Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) was identified as a major challenge. Participants called for stronger vaccination coverage, disease surveillance, mortality surveys and greater research focus at ICAR-NRCM. Emphasis was laid on government support for FMD control programmes and fencing. Fodder cultivation, feeding management and quality feed resources were also highlighted as critical for improving mithun health and productivity.
Mithun as livelihood and heritage: Discussions underscored mithun’s role as a food animal, livelihood resource and livestock heritage of the Northeast. Experiences from Nagaland showed that semi intensive farming encouraged farmers to resume mithun rearing, linking conservation with livelihood development under the “Vocal for Local” approach.
Technical sessions connect science with farmers: Technical sessions chaired by Dr. Pallabh Chaudhury, joint director ICAR-IVRI Bengaluru and Dr. Kishore Baruah, GB member ICAR focused on scientific mithun production, piggery, dairy farming and FMD prevention. Dr. Kobu Khate, senior scientist ICAR-NRC on Mithun delivered a presentation on “scientific mithun production for enhancing farmers’ income”; Dr. Manjunath Patel, principal scientist ICAR-IVRI Bengaluru, delivered a session on “scientific piggery and dairy farming” and Dr. R.P. Tamilselvan, principal scientist ICAR-IVRI Bengaluru on “Foot-and-Mouth disease- prevention and control”. The session particularly provided practical solutions for enhancing farmer income and disease management. The sessions culminated in a Farmers–Scientists Interaction, where farmers raised field level challenges and received direct responses from experts.
Strengthening research and institutional convergence: The roundtable called for greater collaboration among ICAR-NRCM, Assam University and other institutions for research projects, fodder development, FMD management and extension activities. Participants concluded that sustainable mithun development requires political support, farmer participation, scientific research, government schemes and institutional convergence.
The 4th Mithun Day concluded with optimism and renewed commitment towards making mithun farming more scientific, productive and livelihood oriented. With strong political backing, active farmer participation and convergence among ICAR institutions, universities, government departments and autonomous councils, the programme marked a significant step towards strengthening mithun production in Dima Hasao and enhancing its role in the rural economy of the Northeast.