FOCUS

Fostering Climate Resilient Upland Farming System in the North East (FOCUS) is an Externally Aided Project under International Fund for Agriculture Development of United nation operating in Mizoram and Nagaland States. The Project Agreement of FOCUS, Mizoram was signed on 25th January, 2018 with the Total Project cost of 79.30 million USD. The Project was launched by Shri, C. Lalrinsanga, Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture, Government of Mizoram on 6th March, 2019.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The overall goal of the project in Mizoram is to increase agricultural income of 64,500 households, and to enhance their resilience to climate change. This would be achieved through the developmental objective of increasing the environmental sustainability and profitability of farming systems practiced by highland farmers.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project has three components:

1. Improved jhum management.
2. Value chain and market access.
3. Project management and knowledge services.

Component 1: Improved Jhum management

Improved jhum Management will aim to promote proven and emerging climate resilient best practices.

Sub Component 1: Better Jhum and conservation support

1. Capacity building of staff, lead farmers and farmers;
2. Land use planning to develop rational and sustainable systems for village land utilization;
3. Better jhum management through introduction of a package of improved practices for soil and fertility management, crop production, agro forestry and fallow management; and
4. Community forest conservation with re vegetation and soil conservation.

Sub Component 2: Settled agriculture support

1. Existing rice cultivation on the lowlands through short duration seeds, fertility improvement techniques and improved cropping intensity; and
2. Existing orchards and plantation through demonstration of soil and water conservation works, improved planting materials and planting of high value trees. In Mizoram, the poorest households in each village will be supported to get access to land for settled agriculture. The project in total will support 15,190 ha of existing terrace cultivation, 15,190 ha of upland settled agriculture and 2,720 ha of settled agriculture to landless.

Component 2: Value chain and market access

Value chain development support:

1. Production support for clusters of market-oriented spices (chilli, turmeric and ginger), including supply of planting materials and training;
2. Marketing support for a range of cash crops (chilli, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, orange, other fruits, bamboo and other jhum crops with marketable volume);
3. Livestock support largely covering pigs with support for breeding, feed improvement and animal health; and
4. Innovation support for testing and dissemination of innovative technologies and approaches for agriculture, livestock and marketing. The project will support 3,600 ha of spice production support in Mizoram.

Market access infrastructure support construction of market infrastructure using climate resilient building techniques. The project will support building agriculture link roads in Mizoram.

Component 3: Project Management and Knowledge Services

The project is implemented by societies established within the Department of Agriculture (DoA) in Mizoram. To facilitate cross learning, the project in each state, will engage Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to generate knowledge on upland farming system and their response to climate change and to create a learning platform for other state in NER. In addition, IFAD will provide a grant to both state for engagement of FAQ for capacity building and provision of technical assistance. FAQ will be requested to contribute from its own resources for this technical assistance sub project.

PROJECT AREA

In Mizoram, the project is implemented in six districts only, namely Champhai, Mamit, Serchhip, Kolasib, Khawzawl and Saitual district. The remaining five districts of the state, namely Aizawl, Lunglei, Lawngtlai, Saiha and Hnahthial district have not been considered due to the on-going implementation of other major projects in those areas.

A saturation approach will be followed to ensure comprehensive land use planning for the entire village landscape and provision of support services to address the needs of 77% of the households who are involved in farm activities. In total, the project would cover all 301 villages in the six project districts, covering 12 blocks and would support 64,500 households comprising a population of 322,500 persons in these districts.

Governing Council:

The society shall have a Governing Council (GC).The GC shall have the following composition:

Sl.No	Occupation	Designation
1	Chief Secretary, Government of Mizoram	Chairperson
2	Secretary, Agriculture	Co-chairperson
3	Principal Chief Conservator of Forest	Member
4	Secretary, Planning & Programme Implementation	Member
5	Secretary, Horticulture Department	Member
6	Secretary, Rural Development Department	Member
7	Secretary, Finance Department	Member
8	Secretary, AH & Vety Department	Member
9	Secretary, Soil & Water Conservation Department	Member
10	Secretary, Land, Revenue & Settlement Department	Member
11	Deputy Commissioner, Champhai	Member
12	Deputy Commissioner, Kolasib	Member
13	Deputy Commissioner, Serchhip	Member
14	Deputy Commissioners Mamit	Member Secretary
15	State Project Director (CEO), FOCUS	Member Secretary

 

Project Management Committee (PMC)

The Project Management Committee (PMC) of the Society comprises of the following officials and member as specified below:

1	Secretary, Agriculture	Chairperson
2	Director of Agriculture (Crop Husbandry)	Co-chairperson
3	State Project Director (Chief Executive Officer)	Member Secretary
4	Conservator of Forest	Member
5	Director, Horticulture Department	Member
6	Director, AH & Vety Department	Member
7	Director, Soil & Water Conservation Department	Member
8	Director of Agriculture (Research & Education)	Member

District Coordination Committee (DCC):

1. A District Coordination Committee (DCC) shall be set up in every district in which the Project will be implemented. The DCC shall be deemed to be a constituent unit of the Society, and shall have its office at the District headquarters. The DCC shall be headed by Deputy Commissioner of the district.
2. • The District Coordination Committee shall provide the necessary guidance to the Project, review performance and approve budgets of the District Project Management Units.
   • The District Coordination Committee shall consist of following:

Sl.No	Occupation	Designation
1	Deputy Commissioner	Chairperson
2	District Agriculture Officer / District Project Manager (DPM)	Vice Chairperson
3	Project Director, DRDA	Member
4	District Horticulture Officer	Member
5	District AH & Vety Officer	Member
6	District Forest Officer	Member
7	District Soil & Water Conservation Officer	Member
8	Block Development Officers of IFAD District	Member
9	Executive Engineer (MI)	Member
10	Planning and Monitoring Officer	Member Secretary

For more information please contact

 

Office of the State Project Director, FOCUS-Mizoram & Chief Executive Officer, SCRAM
ZIDCO BUILDING (BASEMENT II&III)
MINECO, Khatla, Aizawl, Mizoram. PIN 796001


email : focusmizoram2018[at]gmail[dot]com
Website : https://focus.mizoram.gov.in