As part of its Vasudha Initiative to strengthen climate-change interventions in the region, APRINS organised a high-level round table on June 6, 2026, in Northeast India on the theme “Agro Forestry Road Map – The Gaps and the Way Ahead for NE India.” The half-day, policy-focused meeting brought together policy-makers, researchers and practitioners to map barriers and practical steps for scaling agroforestry as a tool for climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods.
The event convened experts from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), GIZ India, the National Rural Livelihoods Mission–National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NRLM–NIRDPR), and the UNDP–GEF Small Grants Programme, alongside farmers and management representatives from Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) across the Northeast who participated online.
APRINS Secretary Urmi Mala Mahanta opened the discussion by underlining the need for collaborative, landscape-level approaches that align sustainable land-use with livelihood priorities. The session was moderated by APRINS Director T. E. Rassull, and APRINS Managing Director Chandan Borthakur delivered opening remarks on the organisation’s commitment to ecological restoration, climate resilience and livelihood generation across the region.
Drawing on field experience, Dr. Naba Kumar Goswami, Associate Director of TERI’s North East and Himalayan Centre, outlined critical ecosystem components, identified prevailing technical and institutional gaps, and proposed ways to better integrate scientific knowledge with farmer-led practices. Dr. Jeherul Islam, GIZ India’s State Coordinator for the Northeast, highlighted GIZ-supported initiatives with a particular focus on sustainable aquaculture and its integration into agroforestry landscapes, citing international examples.
A. Mannan Choudhury, National Resource Person at NRLM–NIRDPR, shared lessons from a multi-year agroforestry pilot in states such as Bihar and Jharkhand, stressing the importance of community institution-building and sustained stakeholder engagement for durable impact. Sounika Karmakar, Regional Coordinator for the Northeast under TERI’s SGP India and the UNDP–GEF programme, emphasised community-driven models, arguing that farmer participation and local ownership must remain central to any regional agroforestry roadmap.
The round table addressed ecosystem linkages within Northeast agroforestry systems, major barriers to adoption, farmer-centric solutions and opportunities for convergence among government schemes, development programmes and international initiatives. Ahead of the policy dialogue, APRINS marked World Environment Day on June 5, 2026, with a large-scale plantation drive across its FPC network in the Northeast to translate discussion into immediate ecological action.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/experts-deliberate-on-agroforestry-challenges-and-opportunities-on-environment-day-1402077-2026-06-06?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-06-06 22:48:00
