TAKYELPAT (MANIPUR), Aug 22 - A two-day stakeholders meet on �Conservation and Sustainable Development of North East Himalayan Region� concluded at Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Department of Biotechnology campus near Imphal on Friday.
The members of the civil society organisations in Himalayan region particularly in Northeastern region decided to join hands with the scientists to remove the gaps in communication and for implementation of the sustainable development programmes in future.
�We have identified some of the key sectors for the promotion, conservation and sustainable development in NE States,� said IBSD Director Prof Dinabandhu Sahoo. �We are thinking of creating a model for the improvement of sustainable bio-economy in the region by creating bio-entrepreneurs�, he added.
To generate a sustainable bio-economy in order to integrate it with their livelihood issue, the meet also identified fishery and bamboo sector activities in case of Mizoram while eco-tourism was recommended for Nagaland, Sahoo said. Water management and integrated agriculture were identified as focus area for Manipur while for Sikkim the identified activity was ginger conservation.
�We have sent two fishery scientists to Mizoram for a study,� he informed and added that India is a country having 70 per cent farmer population.
In case of Assam, the scientists will be joining hands with civil society organisations to launch a mass campaign on conservation and sustainable development of one-horn Rhino, he added.
The meet further decided to hold a United Nations sustainable development goals summit as part of the joint initiative in Guwahati on December 5-6 next.
Dehradun-based Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation chairman Anil P Joshi told The Assam Tribune that once the joint initiative of science and society leaders comes into reality with a positive model, it could be replicated in the implementation process of the government agencies for the betterment of the society.
Civil society organisation members from Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Mizoram and Nagaland, besides teachers and scientists from Manipur University, Central Agriculture University, Indian council of Agricultural Research and Krishi Vigyan Kendra discussed issues relating to food processing, aromatic and medicinal plants, organic farming, nursery techniques and planting materials and sustainable eco-tourism during the meet.