In a significant move aimed at fortifying its valuable agarwood sector, the Nagaland Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (EFCC) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education–Rain Forest Research Institute (ICFRE-RFRI) based in Jorhat, Assam. The agreement, formalised on August 1 at the Forest Office Complex in Dimapur, is poised to usher in systematic resource management for agarwood cultivation across the state.
The MoU was signed by EFCC Principal Secretary Y Kikheto Sema on behalf of the Nagaland government, while Dr. Nitin Kulkarni, Director, represented ICFRE-RFRI. This collaboration is viewed as a vital step towards addressing long-standing challenges in the state's agarwood industry, particularly the absence of a formal policy framework.
Officials highlighted that despite Nagaland's rich natural resources, including agarwood, the lack of a comprehensive policy has historically led to unregulated extraction and exploitation. Principal Secretary Sema reportedly noted that without proper guidelines, agarwood resources were often harvested and transported out of the state by individuals from neighbouring regions, undermining local benefits and sustainability.
This partnership with ICFRE-RFRI, a prominent research body in forestry, is expected to provide the necessary scientific expertise and guidance to develop a robust agarwood policy and implement sustainable farming practices. The initiative aims to empower local communities, ensure equitable benefits from the state's natural wealth, and establish Nagaland as a key player in the regulated agarwood market, fostering both ecological preservation and economic growth.
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