Agriculture and Irrigation
The shifting cultivation which has come to be known as
Jhuming which means collective farming occupies the central
position in Arunachal Pradesh in the field of agriculture.
This is the form of cultivation that sustains majority of
the people in the area which is been practiced from earlier
days.
Jhuming consist of clearing of a patch of jungle by cutting
and burning after a particular number of years called the
jhum cycle, dribbling seeds into the cleared patch by the
help of a poker. Weeding at least four times, watching and
protecting the growing plants from the wild animals and
birds and finally harvesting a meager mixed crop, normally
just enough to feed the workers - men, woman and children
who had put in about 5 to 6 months of hard labour into the
patch.
Paddy, millet and maize are the major crops. The indigenous
vegetables are sweet potatoes, brinjal, ginger, chillies,
pumpkin, cucumber, and local cowpea. Pine apple, oranges,
lemon, lichi, papaya, banana and peach walnut, almond etc
are also grown in Arunachal.
Industry
The state has several medium industries based on its forest
products. Plants to produce cement and fruit processing
units have also come up in the state. There are a number
of craft training centers and the states handloom industry
has made good progress. The people are experts in cane and
bamboo basketry work. Wood carving and black smithy are
found in certain villages. Iron scrapers, spear head, and
Daos required for day-to-day use are made in several villages.
Mineral resources found in the state are clay, marble,
lime stone, graphite, and pyrite. Arunachal Pradesh Mineral
Developmemt and Trading Corporation Limited were set up
in 1991 and Namchik-Namphuk coal fields are under APMDTCL.
The small scale cottage industry consist weaving, cane and
bamboo work and silver smithy etc. To provide training to
craftsmen there are two industrial training institutes at
Roing and Daporijo.
