Manipur Research Articles

Unregulated wild orchid trade in Manipur: an analysis of the Imphal Valley markets from the Indo-Burma hotspot

Unsustainable and illegal trade of wild orchids at local and international markets is a well-known conservation issue throughout the world. Local as well as international trade of wild orchids is under-reported and under-researched. The study assessed wild orchids traded in markets of the Imphal Valley, the northeastern Indian state of Manipur in 2022–23. Eighty-two wild orchid species from 33 genera were observed to be traded including the wild orchid species, viz., Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum, Renanthera imschootiana, and Vanda coerulea, protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 of India. The local wild orchid trade in Imphal is unregulated, unchecked and unmonitored, which is a serious concern for the conservation of wild orchid species in Manipur and within the Indo-Burma hotspot.

Wood-based furniture industry in Manipur, India: structure, employment intensity, technology and value chain

ABSTRACT The paper primarily examines the employment, value chain, and technological aspects of the wood-base furniture industry, a hotbed micro and small enterprise in the border state of Manipur, India. The study is based on 191 wood-based furniture units, which are selected through a census survey of clusters and a sampling survey of the non-cluster units. The study finds the dominance of home furniture in the furniture sector. The study finds high employment intensity in clusters vis-à-vis non-clusters. Furniture units have developed strong linkages with the upstream industry – the sawmill industry, and the bulk of the highly-demand species of furniture, like bonsum (Phoebe hainesiana) and champa (Michaelia champaca), are sourced from within the state itself, indicating a robust local value chain. Technology is still the Achilles heel for most units, which use semi-mechanized tools and manual-driven machinery. Cultural and social factors are driving the production and scale of furniture units rather than technology. The study emphasizes the need to revive the state's depleted hardwood forest, which is largely under community control, technological upgradation, and skilling of workers for sustainable growth and greater participation in regional and global value chains.

Farmer’s Perception and Determinant of Horticultural Crops in Nagaland and Manipur States

Background: The present research work was undertaken to known about the farmer perception and determinant as the adoption of the horticultural crops and major production constraints faced by them in Nagaland and Manipur states. Methods: For the present study by selecting 100 respondents each from Nagaland and Manipur states to have 200 respondents in total by using purposive stratified simple random sampling technique with the help of data collected through personnel interview methods during the Agricultural calendar year 2019 to 2022 (contain 3 years survey field data). Result: About the farmer perceptions for the horticultural crops in the study area viz; pineapple and chili both were selected due to the prominent crops; based on benefit-cost ratio pineapple crops of Nagaland was recorded as highest (3.31:1) returns, followed by pineapple crop of Manipur (3.01:1) state; also based on benefit-cost ratio, chili crop of Manipur was recorded highest (2.70:1) returns, followed by chili crop of Nagaland (2.76:1) state, respectively. About the perception level it increase by maximum 17.00 per cent for Dimapur Pineapple, followed by Thoubal Chili was 16 per cent, Kohima Chili was 12.00 per cent and minimum Senapati Pineapple was 10 per cent, respectively. About the major constraints faced by the respondents during the production, the foremost was due to the need for high investment in inputs, followed by the size of the land holding and lack of technical knowledge, respectively.

Evolving road networks and urban landscape transformation in the Himalayan foothills, India.

The amalgamation of Himalayan and Indo-Burmese biodiversity has made the state of Manipur, India, a unique ecosystem. In addition, the region is a strategic place for the country to establish an economic corridor to Southeast Asia. In recent times, the region has witnessed tremendous infrastructural/road development. Subsequently, forest fragmentation related to urbanization and road expansion has emerged in the Himalayan foothills. The development of roads brought rapid changes in land use and land cover (LULC) and thus subsequent environmental degradation. The current study attempts to understand how the development of road networks has impacted the natural cover in Manipur, India. A spatio-temporal analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the development of road networks and LULC changes using the Landsat satellite images over a decade (2012-2022). The results showed significant changes in the area coverage of LULC categories such as agricultural land, built-up areas, forest, and water bodies with the increase in road density. To have a holistic view, the study area was segregated into three functional zones based on their urban land use pattern, i.e., urban center, peri-urban, and urban peripheral fringes. Urban sprawl in the urban center has led to the rapid conversion of forested lands into built-up areas and agricultural lands in the peri-urban and urban peripheral fringes, respectively. The decline of forest areas to urbanization in peri-urban and urban peripheral fringes calls for conservation and restoration initiatives. The study also emphasizes how different stakeholders can be involved and empowered to strengthen public-private partnerships for conservation and restoration in such sensitive ecosystems. Urban planners and developers should be critical in making informed decisions through understanding ecological concerns in tandem with infrastructural development.

Timber Assemblage, Militarization, and Entangled People’s Lives at the Indo (Naga)-Myanmar Borderland

The paper engages on the assemblage of timber production and transaction at Indo (Naga)-Myanmar borderland, Manipur state, Northeast India, an emerging tributary of India’s Act East Policy, yet characterized by several marginalities in terms of state development parameters [and governance] entwist in historically militarized setting. The paper primarily looks at different factors, actors, flows, and drivers of timber production and transaction across the Indo-Myanmar border from the Sagaing region, Myanmar, to Manipur, India. Rather, this cycle and flows of timber coalesced with economic and geopolitical intricacies of the borderland thereby engender occupation of multiple authorities and governments. The paper provides an account of how these different authorities negotiate and co-regulate over the production and taxation of timber to meet certain revenue goals and aspirations beyond the normative understanding of legality and illegality – frontier of a kind in its own might. In reference to this network of timber trade, the paper further dwells into conversation of everyday experiences of militarization, livelihoods, village roads, and infrastructures are closely entangled around timber production, transaction, and its allied activities. In a nutshell, the paper argues that timber trade at borderland represent an assemblage of multifaceted realities and practices around the intricate socio-political and economic dynamics.

Additions to the angiosperm flora of Manipur, India

The investigation into angiosperm flora has identified 5 flowering plants as a new record to Manipur state, northeast India: Amorphophallus napalensis (Wall.) Bogner & Mayo and Arisaema nephanthoides (Wall.) Mart. (Araceae), Impateins pulchra Hook. f. & Thomson (Balsaminaceae), Lonicera acuminata Wall. (Caprifoliaceae) and Silene baccifera (L.) Durande (Caryophyllaceae). Notably, the genus Silene is a new addition to the state’s flora. Detailed morphological descriptions and colour photo plates are provided for easy identification.

Chemical speciation of essential trace elements in edible bamboo shoots from different varieties and sampling locations by HPLC – ICP-MS and HPLC - electrospray MS/MS

Samples of five different commonly consumed bamboo species collected at five different locations in the State of Manipur, northeast India, were investigated for the concentrations and, for the first time, for the chemical forms of essential trace elements. Several elements were determined in the bamboo shoots of which Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Ni were present above the 1 ppm level in bamboo juice. An analysis of data for the variability using the ANOVA method, indicated no statistically significant effect of the geographical location on the trace element pattern and speciation. However, nickel and, to lesser extent, zinc concentrations and speciation were affected by the bamboo variety. Speciation revealed the presence of metal complexes with nicotianamine (NA), deoxymugineic acid (DMA) and histidine.

Canoes as Tools of Resistance: Challenging Dispossession in Manipur, India

The Meitei people of Champu Khangpok, a floating village in the Loktak wetland system in the state of Manipur, India, have witnessed in recent years the mass burning of their floating huts. Rebuilding and reoccupying their natural space on this now permanent reservoir of a hydroelectric project involves constant negotiation with the state government, which is trying to craft laws that make living on floating huts and fishing in the reservoir illegal. This article explores the language, tools, and tactics, which have evolved to contest the state government’s actions.

The Immigration and Strategic Assimilation of Bene Menashe: A Zomian Jewish Community in Israel

ABSTRACT Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted among a community of immigrants from the Eastern Indian states of Manipur and Mizoram, Bene Menashe, this article deals with how these immigrants have used ethnic identity to further integrate into mainstream Jewish and Israeli society. Originally known as the Kuki-Chin-Mizo, Bene Menashe claim to be descendants of the lost tribes of Israel, cut off from other Jews for 2,700 years. Several thousand members of the community have emigrated to Israel since the 1990s. Bene Menashe’s background as a singular community of East Asian immigrants in the peripheral town of KA and as recent converts to Judaism, as well as their Zomian (Upland Southeast Asian) background, are central to the community’s negotiation of ethnoreligious identity. Their efforts to integrate into contemporary Israeli society often contrast with the drive of Israeli cultural agents to emphasise the group’s lost tribal heritage, and the community has also both emphasised and sought to discard their previous ethnic identity. Bene Menashe in KA, this article shows, employ several strategies to further their ‘strategic assimilation’ into Israeli society.

The Impact Analysis on Productivity Enhancement of Blackgram through Front Line Demonstration in Chandel District of Manipur State

Background: Blackgram is the major pulse crop cultivated all over the India. The crop is resistant to unfavourable weather patterns and helps in enhancing soil fertility. It is a significant component of the Indian diet since it provides vegetable protein and balances the diet. About 26 per cent of it is protein, which is nearly three times more than cereal and other vitamins and minerals. In addition, it is utilised as nutrient-rich fodder, particularly for dairy cattle. A significant obstacle to expanding blackgram production in Chandel district, Manipur State is the technology gap. Frontline demonstration (FLD), is one of the most significant and effective methods for technology transfer. By using the newest technologies, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Chandel’s interventions aim to boost productivity and production. Methods: The study on Blackgram var. PU-31 under rainfed farming situations of Chandel district, Manipur was carried out by ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra-Chandel, during Kharif 2017 to 2022 with the objectives to increase production and productivity of pulse in the district conducted in the farmers’ field for 118 hectares of land with all the scientific package of practices. Result: The average grain yield of 776.50 kg/ha was obtained in the demonstration plot with 38.13 per cent increase in yield over farmers practices. The technological and extension gap were 723.50 kg/ha and 214.33 kg/ha respectively. Similarly, technological index was decreased from 50.33 percent to 44.53 percent during the study period, revealing satisfactory performance of technological interventions which can further be improved by bridging the gaps with more efficient research and extension services.

Politics and Social Connotations of Feasts of Merit Among the Poumai Nagas in Northeast India

This article examines the politics of the megalith building tradition based on an ethnoarchaeological survey conducted in Liyai Khullen, an unexplored village inhabited by the Poumai Naga tribe in the Indian state of Manipur. I documented and mapped 554 stone monuments in and around the village, revealing a concentration in the habitation area and near footpaths leading to terraced fields. Additionally, I explored the stages of “feasts of merit” and the megalith building tradition through ethnography. Examining the tradition of feasting and building megaliths from the theoretical framework of “paleo-political ecology” reveals that sponsors of such costly undertakings received material benefits. These benefits include a larger share of meat and premium-quality rice beer in the feasts of others, the exclusive right to adorn homes with horns, the privilege of wearing status shawls, acquiring prestigious titles, and gaining more influence within the village. Based on the results, I argue that sponsors derived not only higher status but also material benefits within the traditional socio-political structure. The findings presented herein have archaeological implications for discussing megalithic remains among the Nagas and in Northeast India.

Understanding the Role of Agriculture in the Nature of Insurgency in Manipur

The state of Manipur in India has been in a state of turmoil and militarization since the time it lost its princely status in 1949. And over the years since then it has witnessed mushrooming of various insurgent groups among the numerous ethnic communities in the tiny state. In as much as the causes for such state of insurgent movements, the nature and dimensions of insurgency in the state is diverse. It would be of paramount importance to understand the nature of insurgency in Manipur rather than just see all groups from the prism of “Law and order” problem but perhaps the root cause of it could be related to an ancestral agriculture practice and its ownership. This will surely enable the government to have a multi-prone approach to finding a lasting solution to the prolonged narrative of insurgency issue which is socially divisive, economically expensive and politically national integration is at stake.

An Assessment of Social Media Usage Patterns and Influences among Tribal Naga Women of North East India

Social media platforms have been acclaimed as providing immense potential for the empowerment of diverse societal groups regardless of gender, caste, class or race. But studies on women’s online experiences have authenticated the hindrances faced by women in access and engagement in social media discourses. This study aimed to assess the pattern of social media use, influences and hindrances faced by tribal Naga women of North East India in their engagement in social media public platforms. Data was collected through a questionnaire survey of 360 female respondents from the States of Nagaland and Manipur. The results showed that WhatsApp Messaging is the most popular platform (n=338) among Naga women, followed by YouTube (n=298) and Facebook (n=286). About seventy-four per cent (74.55%) of the respondents stated that they access social media several times daily. Using social media for news and information ranked the highest (95.93%) followed by social relationships (92.51%). It was observed that social media exposure and usage has positively increased Naga women’s gender awareness (97.16%) as well as their awareness of political and civic issues (96.15 %). However it has not significantly increased their public opinion expression (20%) on socio-political and civic issues. The main hindrances in engagement on social media discussions were Lack of Knowledge about issues (73.98%), followed by a Lack of Interest (71.13%) and a Lack of Time (62.14%). Based in the findings, despite the hindrances and low level of engagement in social media public discourses, it was concluded that Naga women’s information seeking behaviour being the main motivation behind social media could be a positive indicator for the development of their agency.

High non-use of contraception among tribal and non-tribal women in North-Eastern India: alarming but neglected.

Limited evidence exists about the contraception uptake in indigenous tribal groups of the north-eastern region of India. This study based on the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) IV (2015-2016) reports aimed to describe the pattern and factors associated with contraceptive non-use in the tribal women of the north-eastern part of India. The study was a cross-sectional analytical study based on secondary analysis of NFHS-IV data. All women in the age group of 15-49 years from the north-eastern part of India were included. Data were extracted and analysed using modified STATA-14 software. The association of socio-demographic and economic characteristics with contraceptive non-use was assessed using logistic regression. The inter-group differences of population characteristics for non-use contraceptives were assessed by modified Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition technique using 'Fairlie decomposition'. A total of 65,941 women were included, of whom 34,936 (52.9%) were tribal women. The proportion of contraceptive non-use was higher in tribal women. Tribal women with age at marriage above 30 years, Christian community, and women from Assam and Manipur state had higher odds of contraceptive non-use. The decomposition analysis showed that geographical variations, parity, and Christian religion contributed the most to contraceptive use disparity in the population. A huge gap was observed in contraceptive non-use among tribal and non-tribal women in the north-eastern part of India. The healthcare system must involve community representatives in designing context-specific community-based initiatives to increase the uptake of contraceptive use in these remote vulnerable communities.

Res. ANGRAU 52 (2) 111-121, 2024 *Corresponding Author E-mail i.d: khshitle.phd@gmail.com, Part of Ph.D thesis submitted to Manipur University, Canchipur - 795003 IMPACT OF TURMOIL ON PINEAPPLE PRODUCTION IN MANIPUR: A SCENARIO-BASED FORECAST

The current turmoil in Manipur State has significantly impacted agriculture, likely to reduce agricultural or horticultural productions including pineapple. Traditional forecasting models typically assume ideal conditions and may not account for such extreme events. This study forecasts pineapple production using Regression, ARIMA, and ARIMAX models, incorporating cultivation area series to train the data. The high correlation (0.8979) between production and cultivation area supports using the area series as a covariate. For scenario-based forecasting, the cultivation area series is generated/simulated anticipating the impact of the turmoil on the cultivation area. The regression model explains 90.68% of the variance in production series, the ARIMA model (0, 2, 2) explains 81.79%, and the ARIMAX model explains 89.17%, effectively capturing changes in cultivation area. This study suggests that the Regression and ARIMAX models can provide realistic forecasts by considering anticipated changes in cultivation areas using scenario-based simulation of cultivation area making them adaptive to change in cultivation area.

Molecular characterization of Microphallus sp. (Digenea: Microphallidae) parasitic in freshwater crabs of Manipur, India.

Freshwater crabs (Potamiscus manipuriensis), commonly consumed as local delicacies by the native people in the state of Manipur, were found to harbour metacercariae of Microphallus sp. (Family Microphyllidae), which were morphologically different from metacercariae of Microphallus spp reported earlier from different regions. So, PCR-based molecular characterization of this metacercaria was done utilizing rDNA marker regions: larger subunit (LSU) or 28S (D1-D3 region) and inter-transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2). Sequence and phylogenetic analyses confirmed that the taxon under study belonged to family Microphyllidae of genus Microphallus.

Prey Species in the Diet of the Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis) during Autumn Passage Stopover in Northeast India

Abstract We recorded the diet of Amur Falcons (Falco amurensis) during their autumn passage at stopover sites across in Northeast India. We collected and examined 1200 pellets to identify prey remains in the diet of Amur Falcons from three major stopover sites in Nagaland State in the years 2017 and 2018. Additionally, in 2019, we examined 200 pellets each at two other sites in the neighboring states of Assam and Manipur. We only recorded insect prey belonging to five taxonomic orders: Orthoptera, Isoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera, with Isoptera being dominant in the diet of Amur Falcons. The frequency of occurrence of Isoptera (termites) was the highest (87%) across years and across all stopover sites in Nagaland; diets were similar at the two other sites in Assam and Manipur. We identified the species of termites in the diet of Amur Falcons as Odontotermes feae and O. horni, the mass emergence of which coincided with the falcons’ arrival in the region. We further estimated that 1,000,000 Amur Falcons stopping over for an average of 15 d in the region consumed approximately 67–134 metric tons of alates (approximately 1 to 2 billion individual alates). We concluded that Amur Falcons stop over in Northeast India primarily to refuel. Our study highlights the importance of availability of abundant termite prey for the success of Amur Falcons’ onward migration, which includes oceanic crossings en route to Africa.

A Contribution to the Flora of Shiroy Hills, Ukhrul, Manipur

The paper deals 49 species of flowering plants belonging to 32 families which are reported as new records from Shiroy hills. Forest vegetation at the ranges of altitudes and a short description of the species, locality, date of collection, field number and altitude were described.

Agricultural land suitability analysis in Manipur, India using GIS and AHP

This article aims to identify potential sites for agricultural use in the state of Manipur of north east India by employing the analytic hierarchy process in a geographic information system environment in conjunction with the use of remote sensing and soil data. Within the analytic hierarchy process, each terrain variable underwent a pairwise comparison and criteria weights were assigned according to their relative importance. Eight variables were selected and used in land suitability analysis for agriculture. It was found that Manipur had 57% (12,660 km2) of its total geographical area suitable for agriculture. However, 8126 km2 (37%) and 1374 km2 (6%) of the total geographical area was currently and permanently unsuitable land respectively. The distribution of suitable land varied greatly, with highly, moderately and marginally suitable land covering only 8%, 16% and 33% respectively of the total geographical area. The highly suitable agricultural land is predominantly concentrated in the Imphal valley (70%), though 90% of moderately suitable and 96% of marginally suitable land also exist in the hills. The hilly areas constitute 96% and 97% respectively of currently unsuitable and permanently unsuitable land in the state. Suitable land comprises of land with low to medium altitude, gentle to moderate slopes, soil of fine or acceptable quality, and with minimal flood risk. Unsuitable lands tend to be diametrically opposite to these attributes with steep hill slopes. The nature of distribution of land suitability types influences the agricultural pattern in Manipur. Agriculture in the hill areas comprises mainly of shifting cultivation on hill slopes, whereas in the valley region it is irrigated and permanent. This analysis of Manipur has a wider applicability since the shifting cultivation-irrigated agriculture combination is similar to that which exists across much of the highlands of South East Asia.

<i>Frullania tuyamae</i> Hatt. & Thaith. (Hepaticae) from Manipur (Eastern India)-New to India

While investigating the Hepaticae of Manipur State (23°47'-25°41' N and 93°61'-94°43' E) collected during February-March 1978, the presence of an interesting species of Frullania was noticed. The point of interest centered round the numerous gemmae borne on the margins of dorsal leaf-lobes, a rare feature for the genus Frullania. This plant resembles Frullania tuyanae Hatt. & Thaith., a species recently instituted by Hattori and Thaithong (1978) from Laos. The species so far endemic to Laos is being reported for the first time from India. The present species of Frullania is distinctive from all other known species from India in having numerous gemmae restricted to the margins of leaf-lobes and leaf-lobules. The relevant taxononic features of the plant are given below.