KOHIMA, 1 july 2025: Nagaland’s state administration will assume responsibility for a climate-focused agricultural program aimed at transforming upland farming systems, following the signing of a memorandum of agreement on Monday.

The agreement, finalised under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary J Alam at the civil secretariat in Dimapur, marks the official handover of the assets of the Fostering Climate Resilient Upland Farming Systems in the Northeast (FOCUS) project to state line departments.

Launched six years ago with the support of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), FOCUS was designed to build climate resilience and boost incomes for over 118,000 farming households across Nagaland. Over its operational period, the project strengthened critical agricultural infrastructure, widened market access, and supported the creation of sustainable farming practices, according to officials.

A completion workshop for the project was recently held in Kohima, highlighting FOCUS’s contributions to revitalizing the state’s rural economy. The program’s successful outcomes are expected to continue through the state’s line departments, which will now oversee further expansion and maintenance of these initiatives.

Officials described the transition as a pivotal step to ensure that the project’s gains — ranging from improved irrigation systems to enhanced market linkages — remain sustainable in the long term.

Image credit: Worldbank.org