Road map and strategies for Doubling Farmers' Income in

Arunachal Pradesh by 2022

Arunachal Pradesh being essentially hilly with deep valley and high mountain
peaks traversed by number of rivers and rivulets, has varying agro-climatic zones which
can broadly be classified as:

Tropical Zone: With high rain-fall and humidity, warm temperature ranges from 22­
36 degree C in summer and 10-25 degree in winter and elevation range of 80-goo m
MSL.

Sub-Tropical Zone: With moderate rain-fall and humidity, cool temperature is

ranges from 15-30 degree C in summer and 14-21 in winter and elevation range goo­
1800 m MSL.

Temperature Zone: With less rain-fall, cool temperature is ranges from 0-22 degree
Centigrade and elevation ranging from 1800 m to 2500 m MSL.

Alpine Zone: Essentially cool temperature from 0-20 degree Centigrade with snow-fall
and elevation above 2500 m MSL.
 Map No.

AGRO-CLIMATIC ZONATION MAP N

ARUNACHAL PRADESH, INDIA A

;:-.--:-. nopiJC.M ~rJ(o to· tjOOlllr )

~ SubT~~(91)l lll!:"flr.'lrj
~ Tt'ITI rill!..:2;onc II ul-3t.COmlr J

~,J.JFICoI:z.,';DI(A

Arunachal Pradesh is the largest north-eastern state of India, sharing its

boundaries with Myanmar in east, Bhutan in west, China on the north and the states of
Assam and Nagaland on the south. It lies between latitude 26° 28' to 29° 30' Nand
longitude 91° 30' to 97° 30' E and covers an area of 83,743 km 2 which constitutes 2.54%
of the total area of the country. Its climate varies from sub-tropical (warm and humid)
in the south to cold alpine in the north with average annual rainfall ranging from 2,000
mm to 5,000 mm. The temperature in the state varies from below zero to 31°C.

The total population of the state is 1.38 million (Census 2011) with population
density of 13 persons km 2 • The main occupation of the people is agriculture and
livestock rearing. Therefore, agriculture and allied sectors primarily drives the economy
of the state. About 14% area of total land of state is used for agriculture and horticulture.
Agnculture and aile sec ors con n u e a ou 31.6% III the state GDP. earty;-'75"7clof
the state's total workforce is engaged in agriculture and allied services; therefore,
agriculture is the backbone of state's economy.

At present the state agriculture is transforming from the traditional slash-and­

burn practice (Jhum Cultivation) of agriculture towards settled and diversified
agriculture. However, jhuming is still practiced in vast area (about 52% of the
agricultural area). The Jhum farming is becoming less productive with a shrinking Jhum
cycle and causing soil erosion and forest regression in certain areas. The practice has
 N3, Arunachal Pradesh has the potential to enhance the income of farmers by
promotion of location specific crops, horticulture, fisheries and livestock production by
use of appropriate technologies and strategies suitable for diverse agro-climatic regions
with tropical climate in valleys and foot hills (about 60 m above MSL) and alpine
climate in high hills (about 7300 m above MSL). Therefore, aiming to develop roadmap
for doubling of farmers' income in Arunachal Pradesh by 2022, a state coordination
committee conducted its interactive meeting on 19 th April 2017 at Directorate of
Agriculture, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, and subsequently a review meeting with
Shri Sudarshan Bhagat ji, Hon'ble MoS, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
welfare on 18 th May 2017 at Itanagar. In these meetings, various issues, concerns and
suitable strategies to enhance the farm/agri productivity, selection of area specific and
farmers centric crops/fruits/vegetable/ and species, post-harvest processing and
marketing strategies for doubling the farmers' income in Arunachal Pradesh were
discussed.

The following recommendations were emerged to enhance the production,

processing and marketing, and non-farm activities for doubling the
farmers' income in Arunachal Pradesh:

• Emphasis on adoption of integrated agro-climatic zone centric farming with

suitable and sustainable technologies needs to be given for diversification of
agricultural activities in the state.
• There is need for designing suitable strategies for checking around 50%
postharvest agriculture production losses which is far higher than the national
average.
• Need for harnessing, the potential for organic farming in Arunachal Pradesh and
ensuring its proper marketing.
• Enhancing controlled atmosphere (CA) storage facility, value addition, packaging
and branding of agri-produce.
• Strengthening and restructuring of marketing system through establishment of
national markets, eNAM and regional markets (Mandis) across the borders of
ad'oinin states su ested for the mutual benefits the farmers of all northeast
states of the country.
• Formation of farmers' associations and cooperatives to help the farmers in
production enhancement and providing marketing support to fetch better
returns. Establishment and promotion of Farmers Producers Organizations
(FPO).
• Simplifying and enhancing farm credit system.

1. Production enhancement:
• Animal healthcare: Proper vaccination and deworming measures for animal
healthcare should be provided at farmers door step to control the outbreak of
diseases and maintain the animal production.

• Feed and other supplements: Farmers should be trained for preparation of

animal feeds from locally available resources like, maize, crop residues, soybean,
oilseed cakes and rice polish/bran.

1.4. POULTRY AND FISH PRODUCTION:

• Fish seeds: Fish seed production in different location should be enhanced to
meet out the requirements of the farmers.
• Integrated fish farming: Fish-cum-paddy, Fish-cum-poultry, fish-cum-duck,
fish-cum-pig should be promoted for better farm returns.
• Backyard poultry: Suitable chicks for region specific backyard poultry should
be provided to the farmers.

1.5. INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEM:

• Different integrated farming approaches should be adopted for enhancing the

farm production. Tested models are available with lCAR & SAUs for this
purpose.

2. Processing of Farm produce:

• Cold storage: Cold storage capacity should be enhanced through Government

schemes or private service providers to store of excess produce and getting
better market price.

• Post-harvest processing: Establishment of small industries for post-harvest

processing of fruits, crops and animal produces especially kiv'li, citrus and other

• Value addition: Value added livestock products should be prepared through

local entrepreneurs or linkage with industry e. g. fruit juice, jam, mne,
functional foods, utilization of yak fibre for natural fabric preparation and use of
mithun skin for production of quality leather products.
• Creation of meat processing, packing and storage facility.
 tall fescue, white clover etc.}
• Area specific mineral mixture for
supplementing deficient minerals.
• Complete feed block technology for
feeding animals during winter scarcity.
• Value addition of Yak hair fibre for
garment preparation based on natural
fabric.
• Yak based ecotourism and safaris.
• Yak based packability in high altitude
ranges.

Temperat Tawang, Food crops: Farming:

ure Zone Dirang,
Bomdila, Rice, maize, millets, Crossbred dairy cattle, cold water fish and
Shergaon, pulses backyard poultry (Vanaraja).

Dibang Fruits: Apple, pear Expansion of walnut, apple and Kiwi cultivation
valley, peaches, plums, area.
Upper cherries, pistachio,
Off-seasonal vegetable production (Tomato,
Subansiri,
Almond, apricot, cabbage, pea, beans, cucumbers, broccoli)
Anini, North
walnut, chestnut and
eastern Maize and rice (upland rice variety)
kiwi fruit.
part of Lohit Bee keeping, mushroom farming, orchidarium.
Vegetables: Cabbage,
and
cauliflower, broccoli,
Northern
part of east radish, turnip, carrot,
Siang garlic, onion, spinach,
Technologies & intervention:
Cucumber, potato,
tomato, brinjal, okra,
French bean, beans,
capsicum and peas. • Integrated farming system Oivestock-agri­
horti-bee keeping)
• Propagation of high yield verities.
Livestock: • Adoption of vermi compost based organic
r
~

Dairy cattle, goat, • Nursery for quality planting material.

poultry, pig • Women based SHG for dairy & poultry
production.
Fisheries:
• Installation of dairy processing unit and fruit
Cold water fish and vegetable post-harvest processing plants
(wine, juice and jam processing plant).
• Use of low cost poly-house in horticulture
crops.
• Promotion of agro-tourism
 garlic, onion, spinach, • Integrated farming system (livestock­
agriculture-horticulture- bee keeping)
Cucumber, potato, • Propagation of high yield verities.
tomato, brinjal, okra,
• Adoption of vermi compost based organic
French bean, beans,
farming
capsicum and peas.
• Nursery rising for quality planting material.
Livestock: • Women based SHG for dairy & poultry
production.
Mithun, dairy cattle, • Installation of dairy processing unit and fruit
goat, poultry, pig, duck and vegetable post-harvest processing plants
(wine, juice and jam processing plant).
Fisheries:
• Fencing of grazing area of mithun.
Riverine and capture
water fish

Convergence: These interventions and strategies can be implemented through

utilizing various Government schemes and policies, contract farming and participation
of private partners for enhancing the farmers' income in Arunachal Pradesh. Various
programs under Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Government of India, in
Arunachal Pradesh are:

Agriculture:

1. RKVY [Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana]:

2. NMSA [National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture]:

3· PMKSY [Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojona-Micro Irrigation, Integrated

Watershed Management & Accelerated Irrigation and Flood Management

Program ]:

.J!JQlYLEradlwn.Mnn.trilfrishLVikasJJ2jancc.E.r:amoLaD..r:ganic.£armingJ-L· _

5· NMAET [National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology- Earlier

ATMA]:

6. NMOOP [National Mission on Oilseed and Oil Palm]:

7· SHC [Soil Health Card]:

8. NFSM [National Food Security Mission-Rice]:

Capacity Building of farmers, advisory services, etc., along with activities of KVKs. Other
ICAR institutes, like ICAR-IVRI (Bareilly), ICAR-NDRI (Karnal), ICAR-CIRG
(Mathura), ICAR-CIFE (Mumbai), ICAR-NRC on Orchids (Gangtok), lCAR-NRRI
(Orissa), lCAR-ClTH (Srinagar), ICAR-IGFRI (Jhansi), ICAR-NIRJAFf (Kolkata),
lCAR-IFSR (Meerut), lCAR-NRC on Grapes (Pune), ICAR-NBAGR (Karnal), leAR­
DOGR (Pune), ICAR-DCWFR (Nainital), ICAR-DMS (Solan), lCAR-DPR (Hyderabad),
ICAR-ICFMD (Bhubaneswar) and Central Agricultural University (Imphal) participates
in different programs in Arunachal Pradesh. Inputs/ help will be extended by these
ICAR/ CAD for preparing specific DPRs in Arunachal Pradesh, as and when required.

----- -