MISEREOR, an organisation of German Catholic Bishops’ for Development Cooperation supporting the FARM North EAST II programme of Caritas India for the next 3 years aiming towards revival and strengthening of Traditional Socio-Economic, Governance and Health Systems through People-Led Development (PLD) in the seven states of North Eastern Regions of India.

The programme was launched on February 2, 2017 at MIIT, Shillong, Meghalaya in the presence of Shri  Ronnie V. Lyngdoh, Hon’ble Minister of Soil and Water Conservation and Urban Affairs Government of Meghalaya, Mr. Robinus Syngkhon, Parliamentary Secretary, Horti & Legal Metrology, Shri. Alexander.L. Hek, MLA of Pynthorumkhrah constituency, Shri.  James Sangma, MLA, the Opposition Chief Whip in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly,  Fr. Paul Moonjely, Asst. Executive Director of Caritas India and host of dignitaries from  different govt. departments along with implementing organisations.

“It is important to make farming more lucrative through organic ways and ensure better livelihood for farmers and attract farming as an occupation” said Shri Ronnie V. Lyngdoh, Hon’ble Minister ‘Soil and Water Conservation and Urban Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, Shillong and the chief guest at the occasion.

The first phase of the programme adopted Result Based Management and People Led Development approach and achieved 73% in terms of food security and enhancement of livelihood option and 77% in terms of formation and strengthening of community institutions and accessing govt. facilities for better livelihood.

FARM North East II will benefit marginalized farming communities to adopt traditional farming practices which are more sustainable and more efficient to meet the food and nutrition security needs of tribal communities.

It will empower the communities of 200 villages in 15 districts to take up collective action for promotion of socio-economic and self-governance development.

FARM Northeast is founded on a principle called “People Led Development” (PLD) approach which promotes people’s participation and ownership of the program and development initiatives collectively. It talks about people driving the process of programme implementation while the implementing partners’ role is to facilitate the community’s efforts and initiatives of collective action for community development.

FARM Northeast is trying to inculcate among the people a culture of collective actions by themselves. The programme teams in each of the implementing partners has good understanding of the PLD principle and are promoting people self-dependence through this approach. The programme is focusing on the process oriented achievement rather than short term results.

The programme will enhance good food and food security for the targeted 12093 families through traditional agriculture practices; establish good health care practices through traditional health practices and enforce the collective effort for socio-economic development of the people.