Imphal: The Indian state of Manipur, known for its rich biodiversity and agricultural traditions, has witnessed unusual temperatures and erratic weather conditions in recent years, signalling a lasting impact of climate change.
Manipur is located in the northeastern region of India, bordering Nagaland in the north, Assam in the west, Mizoram in the south, and sharing an international boundary with Myanmar in the southeast. The state has a total geographical area of 22,327 sq. km, with a forest cover of 16,598 sq. km.
The majority of the people in the state are engaged in agricultural activities, which hold a vital place in the state economy. 52.81% of the workers in Manipur are engaged as cultivators and agricultural labourers.
The rapid growth of population, economic development, unchecked urbanisation, and destruction of natural habitats have majorly contributed to environmental damage.
According to the Global Forest Watch, an online platform that provides data and tools for monitoring forests, in 2010, Manipur had 1.68 Mha of natural forest, extending over 77% of its land area. However, in 2023, it lost 13.9 kha of natural forest, equivalent to 7.97 Mt of carbon dioxide emissions.
This year, Manipur witnessed a flash flood situation twice within two months during the pre-monsoon rainfall, leaving all low-lying areas in Imphal Valley and those areas near major rivers inundated with flood water. Many residents living in the low-lying areas, including those internally displaced due to the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state and sheltering in relief camps, were forced to evacuate to safer places.
In Manipur, the flood, initially reported at the end of May after the severe cyclone Remal struck the Indian subcontinent, saw intermittent rainfall again, triggering a flood-like situation in many parts of the state in July. The recent floods, which many remarked as among the worst, affected thousands of people and damaged and destroyed more than 20,000 houses.
According to Manipur Minister for Water Resources Awangbow Newmai, one of the main causes of floods in both the valley and hills is illegal encroachment on both sides of the streams and rivers, thereby reducing the span of the rivers. “Therefore, to avoid flooding in future, the public must obey the instruction of the authorities and build a house or any structure at least 75 feet away from the river,” Newmai said in a Facebook post on June 3.
While the Imphal Valley was grappling with a severe flood due to massive river breaches, the change in climatic conditions in recent years did not spare the farmers residing in the hill districts of Manipur, as they faced a new challenge: excessive crop damage.
Bitter harvest of a local icon
Nestled in a mountainous range to the west of Ukhrul district in the northeastern state of Manipur, Sirarakhong village is known for its unique and famous chilli, Sirarakhong Hathei. Grown only in Sirarakhong village, the nearly 13-inch-long chilli is in high demand in the state and other parts of India for its stark red appearance and unique taste.
Chilli cultivation has become an integral part of the village’s 300 households, generating significant revenue and running family expenses. However, over the years, agricultural activities have become a real struggle for farmers, especially those growing the prized chilli, owing to rising temperatures and erratic rainfall.
According to Ningkhan Zimiknao, chairman of Sirarakhong village, for the villagers, the Hathei is not just a mere crop but an heirloom species passed down by their ancestors. The chilli, best suited to a cool and rainy climate, is now facing new challenges due to unpredictable weather, excessive rainfall, and unknown pest attacks on crops, he added.
Zimiknao also said that the ancestors cultivated the chilli in a very special way, not for commercial purposes but as a staple food for the family, cherished for its unique flavour and value. Every bit was carefully preserved.
“Even leftovers were properly wrapped with a leaf and placed in a garden where country chickens could not eat it. This way, each family would consume just enough of the chilli for the year, without any wastage,” said Zimiknao, underscoring the importance of the chilli in daily life.
Zimiknao further informed that the village has rich resources like Sirarakhong Hathei (chilli), king chilli, potatoes, beans, and yongchak or stink bean (Parkia speciosa). However, over the years, with erratic and long spells of rainfall, large quantities of crops, including Hathei, are getting rotten and infested by worms and insects before they are ripe for harvest.
He also said that the farmers in the village are still engaged in chilli and potato farming. However, most stink bean trees have slowly dried up after being infected by pests, raising concerns about the environmental impact.
Huimila, a 70-year-old Sirarakhong village farmer who has been farming the prized Sirarakhong Hathei for over 20 years, shared that the chilli disease was first noticed 6-7 years ago. However, this year has been the worst and most severe, likely due to the extended rainfall leading to the chilli rotting sooner.
According to Huimila, this year, the chilli growers in the village witnessed three different types of diseases. “The first instance is the plant yielding a high yield of chillies, yet they dry up/burn on the plant itself before the harvest. In another case, the disease attacks the root first, and slowly the whole plant rots. Similarly, the disease attacks only the chilli, causing it to fall off and rot before it turns red for harvest,” said the septuagenarian Hathei grower during our visit to one of the farms.
Organic pesticides like neem oil are being used to combat the yellowing of leaves caused by the extended rainfall; however, finding a lasting solution remains elusive, she said.
Sochingla Ramsan, a 65-year-old chilli farmer for the last three decades, has suffered huge losses after the chilli disease devastated her crop due to long spells of rainfall this year.
“Once the chilli is infected, the whole plant becomes burnt, and we can’t harvest anything,” she said. Despite planting 250 kilograms of chilli seeds, she only harvested 150 kilograms this year, resulting in a loss of nearly Rs 2 lakh.
Traditionally, seeds were preserved by drying them out under the sun or above fireplaces and stored in eco-friendly containers or wrapped with clothes. However, Kaphungwon Raman, a first-time Hathei (chilli) grower, said that with the rise in temperature and humidity, farmers are finding it difficult to preserve seeds.
“Traditionally, seeds were planted directly in the soil after clearing the farm ground. But now seeds have to be germinated first with the help of manure and sufficient watering in nurseries at home or farmland before being planted in the soil. This practice ensures the seeds grow well before it is planted,” said Raman, whose farm crops, mostly chilli, spread over two and a half acres.
Also, Indigenous communities in Manipur consumed large amounts of wild plants and herbs as vegetables and fruits for medicinal purposes. However, in the last 10-15 years, such wild edible plants and herbs that were once abundantly found in the woods have slowly disappeared or are found in lesser numbers.
According to Ninghorla Shimray, several wild plants and herbs such as Ayenba leaves, Yembum tree leaves (Rhynchotechum elliptichum), and Hantekhan (Jotho leaves/ Elatostema lineolatum) found deep in the woods are no longer abundantly available. Shimray sells vegetables in the Kamjong district.
“Traditionally, Hantekhan (a green leafy plant) are found in cooler areas with streams. However, since most streams have dried up, these leaves are no longer found in huge numbers. One has to forage deep in the woods to find the valued wild leaf, which is used in medicinal and culinary preparations,” said Shimray, a mother of four children.
Hit badly by climate change, say experts
Dr. Star Luikham, a plant pathologist and currently serving as an assistant professor at FGI College of Agricultural Sciences (CAS) in Hengbung, Kangpokpi district, shared that anthracnose and wilting on chilli is likely caused by fungi.
“Among the diseases, one was spread by an insect called whitefly, which serves as the vector for spreading the disease known as chilli leaf curl. By interacting with them, I found out that they are facing these problems, but for a final result or confirmation, we have to go for a field visit and testing in the laboratory,” said Dr. Luikham.
To prevent such crop damage, the plant pathologist further said that farmers must follow certain steps from the nursery or sowing and ploughing seasons as a precautionary measure.
According to T Brajakumar Singh, Director of Environment and Climate Change for the Government of Manipur, the state has witnessed significant climate changes over the past decade, with the average temperature rising by 4 degrees Celsius. This shift is part of a broader trend of global climate change, affecting regions worldwide.
Singh said the state’s normal temperature was around 22 degrees Celsius. However, over the past 20 to 30 years this has gradually increased.
“This year, for the first time in the history of Manipur, Noney district and border town Moreh under Tengnoupal district has recorded the maximum temperature up to 42 degrees Celsius,” said Singh.
He further stated that due to the change of climate and weather patterns, the state has witnessed changing rainfall patterns, increasing intensity of rainfall resulting in frequent floods and shifting monsoon season.
Similarly, Salam Rajesh, a climate journalist from Manipur, shared that as it is being impacted globally, the phenomena of global warming is certainly being felt in the North East of India, with the observed rise in both daytime maximum temperature and the nighttime maximum temperature, which in turns lead to increase in the felt temperature and humidity.
Although the state has not formally declared a heat wave in Manipur, the condition of the heat wave is increasingly becoming evident. That was demonstrated by the unprecedented rise of local temperature to around 41 degrees Celsius in Noney district this summer, he said.
“The severe hailstorm on the 5th of May and heavy rainfall on the 28th of May earlier this year, leading to large-scale loss and damage to lives and properties, fairly demonstrates the extreme weather events in Manipur,” said Rajesh.
He further maintained that the extreme climatic changes felt and observed in Manipur and the other states in North East India are influenced/caused by increased frequency in low depression formation and the subsequent cyclonic storms originating from the Bay of Bengal.
The deforestation scale in Manipur cannot influence that much change in weather patterns and climate regime here, and, so we have to watch out and analyse the process of ocean surface warming in the Bay of Bengal (as regularly updated by the India meteorological department and the World Meteorological Organization. NASA also updates information on this from time to time, he added.
This story has been published as part of the AIPP-EastMojo Fellowship 2024
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