ITANAGAR, 1 Sep: A strong collective call for the conservation, scientific management and sustainable development of the indigenous mithun reverberated across the state on the occasion of the 4th Mithun Day, as hundreds of farmers and community members joined awareness programmes organised across several districts of the state.

From Longding and Dibang Valley to East Siang and Siang, mithun farmers, community representatives, scientists and institutional stakeholders came together to celebrate the cultural and economic importance of mithun and to reinforce the need for stronger conservation and improved scientific farming practices.

The programmes were organised by the Jomlo Mongku Mithun Farmers Federation, Siangmi Mithun Breeders Association and the National Research Centre on Mithun (NRCM) at Nginu-Nissa village in Longding, Anini in Dibang Valley, Mirem and Yagrung villages in East Siang, and Jomlo Mongku, Pangin and Kebang villages in Siang district.

In Basar in Leparada district, over 400 mithun farmers, farmers' representatives, scientists, veterinarians, government officials, community leaders and members of the public participated in the programme, jointly organised by the Arunachal Mithun Farmers' Federation (AMFF) and Nagaland-based National Research Centre on Mithun (NRCM), in collaboration with the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Arunachal Pradesh Centre, Basar, and the Department of Animal Husbandry, Veterinary and Dairy Development.

It was attended by Basar MLA Nyabi Jini Dirchi and SDO Aastha Singh.

Speaking on the occasion, organising chairman Kardo Riba highlighted the importance of mithun in the socio-cultural and economic life of the indigenous communities of Arunachal Pradesh, while organising secretary Dr Gerik Bagra emphasised the need for scientific and semi-intensive mithun rearing, improved breeding and health management, conservation of indigenous genetic resources, and stronger institutional support for mithun farmers.

A memorandum addressed to the chief minister was also submitted through MLA Dirchi on behalf of the mithun farmers of the state, wherein they placed before the government several important issues concerning the promotion, conservation and sustainable development of mithun and the welfare of mithun farmers.

The farmers sought formulation of dedicated government schemes for mithun, including financial and material support for semi-intensive mithun rearing based on technologies developed by the NRCM. They also requested for government assistance for the construction of lura, the traditional mithun enclosures, noting that declining numbers of mithun-rearing families have made traditional community-based construction increasingly difficult.

Another major demand was for legislative and institutional measures to address wild animal predation, particularly attacks by wild dogs, which farmers stated have become a serious threat to mithun populations. The memorandum also sought enhancement of the existing ex gratia compensation for mithun killed by predators from Rs 40,000 for an adult and Rs 20,000 for a calf to a uniform Rs 1,00,000 per mithun, irrespective of age.

The farmers further requested the inclusion of fodder species in afforestation programmes, particularly within traditional lura areas, to address the declining availability of natural forage resources in forest areas.

The memorandum also called for appropriate regulation of indiscriminate slaughter of mithun during social and ceremonial occasions, while recognising the animal's deep cultural and traditional significance among the tribal communities of Arunachal. It proposed that the increasing commercial demand for mithun meat should be met through mithun raised under designated commercial farming systems, rather than placing additional pressure on traditional community-based mithun-rearing systems.

The programme concluded with a farmer-scientist/officer interaction session led by ICAR AP Center senior scientist Dr Joken Bam, during which farmers discussed issues related to mithun health, breeding, artificial insemination, nutrition, management and conservation with scientists and veterinary officials.

Leparada DAHV&DDO (i/c) Dr Jumdak Bam and ICAR AP Centre Acting Head Dr Doni Jini were also present on the occasion.