(Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare)

Cultivation of traditional rice cultivars and poor farm mechanization in low lying rice monoculture often restrict the net system productivity and reduce farmers’ profitability in Mizoram as compare to other parts of our country. Being the principal food crop, state has expanded low-lying areas of 16,166 ha with average wetland rice productivity of 2.27 t/ ha. However, poor irrigation infrastructure restricts the scope of practicing rabi agriculture. In order to improve the net system productivity through introduction of high yielding varieties, cropping intensification and farm mechanization, ICAR-ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Center initiated community based farm technology demonstrations in five different locations at Mizoram under Tribal Sub Plan. (2016-2021; Table 1).

Table 1: Details of selected sites for technology demonstration under Tribal Sub Plan.

Name of the farmers’ Group

Serchhip agriculture and horticulture farming co-operative society

WRC farmer association Chhotaguisury I

Mizo farmers are mostly accustomed to small hand tools for practicing subsistent agricultural activities manually. The advent of mechanical power in traditional farming practice have a direct bearing on average crop productivity, energy use efficiency and farm income, particularly for small and marginal farmers. High initial investment for procurement of such capital items often restrict the adaptation rate and hinders attainable crop productivity in small holder farmers’ field. Hence, group based approach for availability of need based farm implements in custom hiring centers to the small and marginal farmers on hiring basis become a cost-saving approach through reduction of labour cost involvement, time saver, enhanced crop productivity and increase in energy use efficiency.

ICAR NEH Mizoram center took similar initiatives to improve farmer’s livelihood after assessment of the existing situation of Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) adapted villages in Mizoram. Instead of traditional plough usage heavy machineries viz. power tiller (for mechanized ploughing), reaper (harvesting) and paddy thresher (post-harvest operation) were installed for community based usage under TSP programme.

The balance sheet of revenue generated from custom hiring center was maintained by the local committee formed in a savings account opened by the respective Chairman of custom hiring centers for repairing and maintenance of the distributed assets.

Summer vegetable cultivation okra (Arka Anamika; 7.44t ha-1), cowpea (Pusa Sukamol; 6.24 t ha-1 and YB 7; 7.92 t ha-1) were introduced based on farmers preference. Local long duration tall lowland rice paddy cultivar known as ‘Goya rui’ (165-170 days; yield ~2.45 t ha-1) were gradually replaced by high yielding medium duration Gomati Dhan (125-130 days; yield ~4.32 t ha-1). The additional time saving from reduced crop duration of rice were utilized for rabi maize (RCM 76; 4.6 t ha-1)and vegetable cultivation viz. cabbage (Pusa cabbage 1; 9.02 t ha-1), cauliflower (PSBK 1; 6.03 t ha-1), tomato (Arka Rakshak; 7.72 t ha-1), frenchbean (contender; 6.03 t ha-1), brinjal (Pusa Anupam; 7.05 t ha-1) etc. towards increasing net cropping intensity of low-lying areas with efficient subsequent irrigation infrastructure development through water lifting pump installation (5 HP diesel pumps), use of sprinklers and establishment of water delivery pipe network during winter months. Community nursery were prepared for the majority of vegetable crops during September and all other associated necessary farm input were available to each farmer group member along with periodic farm level agro-advisories. Cumulative Land Use Index (CLUI) and Water Use Efficiency was averaged out for the modified crop production systems in Mizoram.

Table 2: Production socio-economics of community based technology demonstration in Mizoram*.

Serchhip agriculture and horticulture farming co-operative society

WRC farmer association Chhotaguisury I

(Note:*Averaged over entire study period)

The average Cumulative Land Use Index (CLUI) was increased by 116.45% against the initial reference indicating more efficient land use after intervention; so as the Water Use Efficiency (WUE) raised by 158.20%. Average area of cultivation has expanded to 0.06 ha/ farmer to 0.35 ha/farmer over the entire study period. The mechanized community farming effort experienced 90.14% hike in benefit cost ratio from rising net system productivity (Table 2), along with 75.15% annual saving in total cost of cultivation and 131.42% more employment generation (in terms of man days) against the neighboring non-adopted farmers in the respective localities. Therefore, community based cultivation through establishment of village level ‘Farmer Producer Organization’ proved excellent production potential of diversified summer and winter vegetable crops, establishment of better market linkage and higher profitability to the tribal Mizo farmers, with reduced cost of cultivation from farm mechanization in rice based agro-ecosystems of low-lying areas in Mizoram. At present, beneficiary members are planning to divert their investment to procure modern machineries after sufficient amount of revenue earned over past five years of ICAR NEH Mizoram center intervention in respective project implementation sites.

1. ICAR Research complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Center, Kolasib, Mizoram

2. Directorate of Agriculture, Govt. of Mizoram, Aizawl, Mizoram

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