Senhri Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2 (July - December 2020), p. 01-08 Senhri Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies 2456-3757 (P) 2582-6840 (e) A Journal of Pachhunga University College Vol. 05, No. 02 (A Peer Reviewed Journal) July-Dec., 2020 https://senhrijournal.ac.in 10.36110/sjms.2020.05.02.001 AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES IN LAWNGTLAI RURAL DEVELOPMENT BLOCK OF MIZORAM R. Lalthankhumi1 & Joseph Lalmalsawma 2* 1Department of Education, Govt. Aizawl College, Aizawl, India 2Department of Public Administration, Govt. Aizawl West College, Aizawl, India * [email protected] Joseph Lalmalsawma: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5723-0577 ABSTRACT Agriculture constitutes one of the major sources of income among the people of Mizoram. The areas used for cultivation in Mizoram are usually slashed and burnt down to ashes and are abandoned for years, the land is used and the same plot is re-use after 3-5 years. More than half of the total population is either directly or indirectly involved in agriculture. However, the income from agriculture is less than 5% of the State Gross Domestic Product (State Economic Report, 2015). In the last few decades Mizoram witnessed several changes in agriculture pattern as many farmers have been shifting from cultivation to small- scale agricultural farming. This paper highlights the transformation of agricultural practices and the major factors affecting agricultural production and attempt is made to examine the prevailing socio- economic aspects associated with farmers with special reference to Lawngtlai Rural Development Block and a questionnaire method was used for collecting relevant information for the purpose. The research found that there exist major transformations of agricultural practices in the last couple of decades. The cycle of shifting agriculture period has been shortened drastically. It is also revealed that farmers are gradually adopting settled farming from shifting agriculture and that government intervention and assistance has been increasing more and more in this field. It is suggested that agricultural practice be transformed from jhuming to settled farming and from cultivating the traditional crops to cash crops with governmental and institutional support for shifting to higher income in agricultural and horticultural crops. Keywords: Agricultural Farming, Settled Farming, Jhuming, Horticulture, Cultivation, Economic Sustainability, Subsistence. © SJMS, 2020 1 Senhri Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2 (July - December 2020), p. 01-08 Introduction During winter the temperature ranges from 8°C to 24°C and during summer, the Lawngtlai district is situated in the temperature varies between 18°C and 32°C. southern part of Mizoram and the district The western side of the district has lower shared international boundary with altitude in contrast to the eastern side, and Myanmar to the east and Bangladesh to the thus it has a little warmer climate than the west. The district is bordered with Lunglei eastern part. Humidity is high throughout district in the north and Siaha district in the the south-west monsoon while it reaches to south and on the east. On the west, the the extent of 85%. The district of Lawngtlai Thega River of Lawngtlai district shares is covered by the south-west monsoon and boundary with Bangladesh and the Kaladan heavy rainstorm is usually received between River on the eastern part shares boundary the month of May and September annually. with the district of Saiha. There are three It has an average annual rainfall of about Sub-Divisions namely: Chawngte, Sangau 2558 mm. the hottest season starts from and Lawngtlai (Sadar) and four Rural March and usually ends up in August. It Development Blocks which are: Lawngtlai remains extremely cloudy during the rainy Rural Development Block, Sangau Rural season. Cloudiness reaches its peak from Development Block, Bungtlang South Rural March and calm down in the month of July. Development Block and Chawngte Rural A pleasant weather starts from September Development Block. From the erstwhile and generally continues up to January in the Chhimtuipui district Lawngtlai district next year. became a separate district on 11th, November, 1998. It is a district covering an One-third of the total inhabitants of area of 2557.10 km² (2011 Census). Its Lawngtlai district largely depend on terrain is mountainous and sloppy with a agriculture farming, which is mostly based small strip of low-lying soggy plain along on the traditional system of shifting the western part of Chamdur Valley. cultivation. Only small groups of the urban population are employed in the government According to 2011 census, Lawngtlai services, banks and schools, and only a few district has a population of 117,444 which sections of urban people are engaged in makes it the 611th district in rank among the small-scale businesses. It is one of the most districts of India. It has a population density backward districts in the State and has one of 46 inhabitants per square kilometer of the lowest market productions. (120/sq.mile) with a growth rate of 59.53% over the past decade of 2001-2011. The Agriculture Department, the Lawngtlai district has a sex ratio of 945 Horticulture Department and the Krishi females to every 1000 males, and the Vigyan Kendra (Farm Science Centre- literacy rate is 66.41%. popularly known as the KVK) are the nodal agencies which are responsible for the Lawngtlai district has a mild and progress and development of agriculture relatively warm climate. It is generally hot farming in the district. In order to facilitate in summer and moderately cold in winter. © SJMS, 2020 2 Senhri Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2 (July - December 2020), p. 01-08 transportation and quick access to agricultural land outside their localities and agricultural lands and the market the 8% of the respondents have their agriculture government has undertaken the construction land in both nearby houses and also outside of several link roads within the district under their villages. different projects. Table 2: Location of farmland Objectives Location Frequency Percentage Nearby 7 12% 1. To identify the socio-economic profile Outside 48 80% of Lawngtlai RD Block. Both nearby 2. To identify farming practices in and outside 5 8% localities Lawngtlai RD Block. 3. To identify problems of farming in Employment towards agriculture Lawngtlai RD Block. As shown in Figure 1, 62% of Methodology respondents are owners of the farmlands The paper is mainly based on primary who are actually working on their own fields data collected by the authors. To understand whereas 38% of respondents employ the conditions of farmers, field survey was labourers on their field. conducted through questionnaire using 32% Owners, working random sampling techniques from 60 on their own field samples. Perspectives of the farmers towards 68% owners, employin their agriculture activity can be illustrated g labourers through percentage. Results and Discussions Figure 1: Employment towards Number of farmland agriculture As shown in Table 1, 35% have one Source of income farmland each while 65% of respondents As shown in Figure 2, 60% of have their farmlands/agricultural land in respondents mentioned that they depend more than one place. both on agriculture and other income, while Table 1: Number of farmland the remaining 40% of respondents depend solely on the income of their agriculture. Farmland Frequency Percentage 1 21 35% 40% Income on 2 or more 39 65% farmland and other 60% Solely on their Location of farmland income As shown in Table 2, 12% of respondents have their kitchen farms nearby Figure 2: Source of Income their houses. 80% of respondents have their © SJMS, 2020 3 Senhri Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2 (July - December 2020), p. 01-08 Government beneficiaries Table 4: Monthly Income As shown in Table 3, 77% of Income Frequency Percentage respondents are beneficiaries of government 1000 – 5000 17 28.33% schemes while the remaining 23% of 5000 – 10000 19 31.66% 10000 and 15 25% respondents says that they are non- above beneficiaries of any government schemes. Not sure 9 15% Table 3: Government beneficiaries Savings from the profit No. of Govt. Frequency Percentage beneficiaries As shown in Figure 4, 80% of Beneficiaries 46 77% respondents mentioned that they do not have Non- 14 23% savings from their earnings while 20% of beneficiaries them have savings from their profits. Availment of Loans 20% Savings from profit As shown in Figure 3, regarding availment of loans, 92% of the respondents 80% Non savings from profit avail bank loans while 8% of the respondents do not avail of any bank loans. Figure 4: Savings from the profit 8% Avail Bank loan Continuation of agriculture Not availing of As shown in Table 5, 75% of 92% any loan respondents advocated continuing the management of farmland/agricultural land Figure 3: Availment of Loans by their children and future generations as their occupation while 21.66% of Monthly Income respondents regarded the same with disfavour, and the remaining 3.33% of As shown in Table 4, 28% of the respondents are clueless. respondents have an average monthly income of Rs.1000/- to Rs.5000/-, 32% of Table 5: Continuation of agriculture respondents claimed that an amount of Farmer’s Frequency Percentage Rs.5000/- to Rs.10000/- is their average response monthly income, 25% of respondents says Favour 45 75% that the amount of Rs.10000/- is their Disfavour 13 21.66% monthly income and the remaining 15% of Undecided 2 3.33% respondents are not too sure of their monthly income from their products. © SJMS, 2020 4 Senhri Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2 (July - December 2020), p. 01-08 Production of agriculture take further steps in the expansion of their agricultural activity. As shown in Figure 5, 52% of respondents claimed that they can carry out 8% Favourable in agricultural activity throughout the year but expansion the good products depend upon the Not in a position harvesting season, while 48% of respondents 92% of expansion expressed that they have difficulty in producing agricultural goods throughout the year.