Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar Minister Gabriel D Wangsu on Thursday said traditional ecological knowledge is the state’s greatest defense against climate change, an official report said.
Speaking after the inauguration of the Arunachal Pradesh Gave Vividhata and MVM Lead Sonam/Big Utsav 2026, Wangsu described the Kyi Paniyur district as a pioneering model of development “based on biological happiness”.
Highlighting the changing climate conditions, the Minister of Agriculture and Horticulture said rainfall patterns were becoming increasingly erratic, winters were becoming shorter, and floods were more severe.
He warned that solutions designed for the plains could not simply be planted in the region’s unique topography, and urged protection and promotion of local crop varieties as “living insurance” against climate uncertainty.
The two-day festival and stakeholder consultation, held at Government Higher Secondary School in Zali, was organized by the office of the 16th YAC MLA, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Kyi Paniyur, Arunachal Rural Livelihood Mission and MS Swaminathan Research Foundation.
The event aims to position the newly created region as a living model for sustainable development that integrates biodiversity conservation with human well-being.
Kiyi Paniyur has been recognized as India’s first “biologically happy district”, a distinction based on biodiversity, tribal cultural identity, environmental sustainability and community well-being, officials said.
They said the recognition highlights the region’s traditional wisdom, resilience and environmental practices among more than 800 regions in the country.
Wangsu praised local conservation efforts and singled out Haji Nanya of Zero for seeking intellectual property protection under the Plant Varieties Protection and Farmers’ Rights Act for 12 local rice varieties from the Lower Subansiri region.
To expand on these successes, the Minister announced measures to strengthen community seed banks, strengthen local seed certification systems, expand storage infrastructure, and mobilize networks of women-led “seed custodians.”
In his speech, Yachuli MLA Toko Tatung celebrated the rich agricultural heritage of the region.
MSSRF President Dr Soumya Swaminathan said the concept of biohappiness can integrate grassroots level conservation with inclusive livelihood, food security and social justice.
This article was generated from an automated news feed without any modifications to the text.
