Arunachal:Changlang district  is located in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, The region is rich in wildlife with a different kind of flora and fauna. It’s a border district with insurgency issues.Its a hub of  Agriculture and Hoticulture, processing food from species to mushrooms, and pineapple  jams to canned fruit.

As part of the NERCORMP, a North Eastern Council (NEC) and Ministry of DoNER project,  Changlang district at a cost of Rs 12 crore  26 food processing and allied units have come up in the past year in all the nine blocks.

Changlang’s deputy commissioner Devansh Yadav,while speaking about the project said  all the 26 FPU and allied units are owned by Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) and run in coordination with engaging professionals from Assam and Arunachal. “We have successfully test-run six units, which includes two Spice processing units, two CSG packaging unit (also chips making unit), a Food and Fruit processing unit – that will see jams and pickle flavours of Changlang and a Bakery processing unit.”

“Processing of crops and selling their packaged products will rise in  income of farmers and also act as a catalyst for the manufacturing and processing industry, changing the economic map of the district.”

“It will diversify economic activities in eastern Arunachal and reduce dependency on outside products. Through market linkage, we will also sell our products in faraway markets and establish organic food brands of the state,” added Yadav

“The community decides the activity and development they want, which in true sense is the very fabric of democracy and decentralised power,” Yadav said, adding that the government provides the funds to the community, guidance, training and necessary expertise to run the show. “All the products will be sold under a single brand which is under consideration,” he added

Changlang, a remote district bordering Myanmar, is about 370 km from state capital Itanagar and 128 km from Assam’s Tinsukia. The push for turning Changlang into an agriculture-horticulture hub also aims to shift the district’s perception from being an insurgency-riddled region to a district with economic potential.