Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 54/23

WORKSHOP ON EXPANDING AREAS OF PLANTATIONS OF ARECA NUT IN MEGHALAYA HELD

The Centre of Excellence for Natural Resource Management & Sustainable Livelihoods, MBDA today organized a one-day consultative workshop on the theme Expanding Areas of Plantations of Areca nut and Other Commercial Species in Meghalaya, a Critical Review of the Changing Landscapes with Reference to their Ecological impacts at Moreau Institute of Integrated training (MIIT), Shillong.

Dr. S. Aushutosh, IFS (Retd.), Co Chairman and Director Centre of Excellence for Natural Resource Management & Sustainable Livelihoods, MBDA delivered the introductory address and overview of the workshop.

The workshop aims to offer the participants to critically examine the impacts of monoculture plantations of commercial species such as areca nut, rubber, cashew, orange etc on the ecosystems in Meghalaya. The participants will have an improved understanding on the impacts of commercial species plantation farming practices on the environment. Identification of gaps that exist in the current cash crop farming practices and the interventions that are required for more sustainable farming. The practices that farmers prefer in shaping land use dynamics and the incorporation of agroforestry practices in private lands and to know the actual type of land tenure and land use practices in the state that may enable framing policies on land tenure, agriculture, forestry and tree growing.