| District Profile History The People Tourist Interests Industries Agriculture Literacy & Education Health Flora & Fauna Minerals C&RD Blocks General Administration IT in the District Office of the Deputy Commissioner Forms Important Telephone Nos. Press Releases Home |
Agriculture and IrrigationAgricultural Scenario: Majority of the people depends on agriculture for their livelihood. The main crop being paddy, the other crops cultivated in the district are mustard, sugarcane, jute, potato, tapioca, cotton etc. The sizeable crops with commercial potential are chilies, ginger, pineapple, turmeric and also banana in the areas adjoining Assam. Tezpata leaf (Bay leaf) and leaf for Bidi making could have bright commercial prospects. Wet rice cultivation is practiced in the plains areas while in the hills, the population practice jhum or shifting cultivation. With the passing of time, and the increasing pressure of population, the jhum cycle has been considerably reduced, averaging three years instead of the norm of seven. The practice has led to extensive denudation of forests and progressive destruction of the ecology. Government has taken several steps to wean the people away from this primitive practices, either by taking up schemes of resettling the people of selected villages in new settlement, providing them with amenities like good roads and running water, or by encouraging them to adopt terrace cultivation. Most of the existing cultivation are found around villages. Normally, allocation of plots is based on precedents and a family cultivates the same plot for about two years. After cleaning of the jungle and burning of the litter some time between March and April, cereals like maize and millets are sown. Besides food crops, cash crops like cotton are grown in many parts of Garo Hills. Horticulture
Due to widespread practice of shifting cultivation and deforestation, the Agriculture Department has taken up Horticulture in the district as the topmost priority. West Garo Hills with a wide variety of Agro-climatic conditions, soil and rainfall provide opportunities for growing varied range of Horticultural and plantation crops. The important fruit crops of the district are oranges, pineapple, litchi, banana, jackfruit and other citrus fruits. Important plantation crops are arecanut, cashewnut, coconut, tea, black pepper, bayleaf, betel leaf and rubber. Spices like ginger; turmeric, chilies, large cardamom and cinnamon are also grown. Both Kharif and Rabi vegetables are grown. The district has a Tea Nursery at Rongram, Damalgiri and Zikzak. The Rubber Board has a Regional office in Tura and has been promoting cultivation of rubber in the region.
Measures to conserve soil and waterThe West Garo Hills District with its undulating topography and high intensity of rainfall, suffers acute erosion problem and ecosystem degradation. The problem is further compounded by unscientific agricultural practices such as jhumming/shifting cultivation on steep slopes, rampant deforestation, burning etc., which has resulted in degradation of land and water resources. With a view to reduce the process, the Government of Meghalaya, through the Soil Conservation Directorate, has taken and is taking up variety of measures that would conserve and protect and which would also make the people aware of the fact that their age-old practices are responsible for the abrupt changes in the ecosystem in this pocket of our globe. To combat the harmful effects of jhumming, the Soil Conservation Directorate has taken up a major Scheme called the "Jhummia Rehabilitation Scheme", which is designed to offer an alternative method of food production, which would also improve the socio-economic condition of the people of this District. Apart from the aforesaid major Scheme, the Directorate of Soil Conservation has other Schemes as the former is effectively implemented in the worst jhum affected areas and are briefed as follows. 1. Watershed Management Scheme - in different catchments areas. The component of works under each scheme are identical; Land Development Programme – terracing, contour bunding, stream bank erosion control, land reclamation, water harvesting, conservation & distribution, irrigation & check dams, gully plugging, afforestation etc., and are being implemented by the Territorial Division. And in regard of Cash/Horticultural Crops Development Schemes, a separate Division called the "Cash Crop Division" under the same Directorate is carrying out the implementation of works. Head of the Department in the District – 1. The Joint Director of Soil Conservation, Tura. Functional Divisions in the District – 1. Soil & Water Conservation Division (Territorial), Tura. The areas covered by each Soil Conservation Range & Beat Offices –
IrrigationIrrigation has so far played only a minimal role in agriculture in the Garo Hills. The topography itself makes alignment and construction of channels difficult and comparatively costly. However, even in areas where the lay of the land is more favourable, irrigation is confined to areas bordering rivers and streams. Farmers in the hills have traditionally depended upon rainfall, the months of heavy rainfall being May to September. The abundant supply of rain during the growing season reduces the dependence on artificial alternatives, except during the brief dry spell before the monsoons. Wherever irrigation is feasible, the Department of Agriculture as well as the Soil Conservation Department has taken up a number of small-scale irrigation schemes and more are being investigated, especially to meet the needs of farmers in areas where double cropping is in vogue. |
Home | District Profile | History | The People | Tourist Interests | Industries | Agriculture | Literacy & Education |
Health | Flora & Fauna | Minerals | C&RD Blocks | General Administration | IT in the District |
Office of the Deputy Commissioner | Forms | Important Telephone Nos. | Press Releases |
