Various ethnic communities, in general, follow two major types of agricultural practices such as Shifting cultivation and burn agriculture, and secondly the Terrace cultivation. The Terrace cropping is practiced in valleys and foothills while the Shifting methodology is practiced in and around forests.
However, with the increase in population and increasing pressure on land, the Jhum cycle has caused the problem of land degradation and even threat to ecology of the region.

Innovation is the key
The tribal farmers have several practices that can make optimum use of locally available resources.

• Tribal farmers in the north east practice Bench Terrace Irrigation practice. Here, stones and gunny bags are used in an ingenious manner in the maintenance of terraces and to stop soil erosion problems. The hill streams are tapped and the water is channelled to accommodate a series of terraces. In this system, water flows continuously from the upper to lower terraces. This method of irrigation has been found much result-oriented in a non- fertile land – especially for raising rice crops.
• One key positive aspect of this practice is that the excess runoff from the upper portion of the slope is actually ‘nutrient rich’. Predominantly used for rice cultivation, in the bench terrace, agriculture practice crops like maize, bean and potato are planted on upper slopes. Hence, for obvious reasons, the crop requiring more water such as rice and jute are grown on lower slopes.
• The ‘Tree-based farming practice’ too has been encouraged among the indigenous people- where trees are “integrated extensively” in the crop production practice.
• Bamboo cultivation: When it comes to sustainable practice and economic reforms, for ages, the north-eastern people have been depending on Bamboos.

Green Gold

• The Union Budget of 2018-19 rightly calls Bamboo the ‘Green Gold’
• ‘Bamboo’ is essentially a type of grass, but its classification as a tree for about a century had prevented the northeast natives to make optimum use of the same commercially. North East India, in effect, grows about 68 percent of India’s bamboo.
• India has 30 percent of the world’s bamboo resources but contributes only four percent share of the global market. The issue is low productivity and here comes the significance of the Bamboo Mission launched by the Government of India. It is a centrally sponsored scheme with 100 per cent funding from the Government of India and in the coordination with states, it seeks to achieve certain objectives like promoting bamboo and bamboo-based handicrafts and generate employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled people- especially unemployed youth.
• Besides industries benefits, the communities have been using bamboo shoots as nutritious food. This also has medicinal values. Among tribal bamboo growers in states like Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland- it is also well known that the bamboo also works for land protection; soil quality improvements including improved water holding capacity, higher water capture and recharge, benefiting agriculture and food security.
• In November 2017, the government removed bamboo from the list of ‘Trees’ and thereby relaxed rules on bamboo felling, transit and processing.
• In budget 2018-19, Union Finance Minister allocated Rs. 1290 crore to “restructure” the National Bamboo Mission with a ‘Holistic approach”.
• North-eastern region’s farm activities are also known for organic cultivation. On January 18, 2016, the Prime Minister declared Sikkim as the Organic State of India. In the subsequent period, a Central Sector Scheme namely, Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region was launched for promoting organic farming in the region.
• The Government of India also laid attention on increasing the area under organic farming in the country under a programme called the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana.

National Bamboo Mission Strategy Focus

• Efforts are being made for taking updated technology closer to bamboo growers. Demonstrations are made of planting or different species of bamboo by using different fertilizers and chemicals.
• Encouraging setting up of Bamboo Technology Parks.
• Help create outlets for both wholesale and retail markets.
• In rural pockets, bamboo bazaar would be set up.
• Provide guidance for Post-harvest storage and treatment facilities.
• A few innovative interventions-like Agarbatti sticks for Jail inmates: This project has been initiated at Central Jail under Aizawl District in Mizoram.
• Strategies being evolved to build sustainable bamboo based livelihoods based on a cluster based approach.
• Develop an institutional structure owned and managed by grassroots producers and their federations.
• To make northeast the hub of bamboo based sustainable micro, small and medium industries in the country steps are taken to enable structured growth in the sector by strong institution building and market linkage.
• Sustained long term and short term measures to build the bamboo sector as amajor livelihood provide employment opportunities.