Aizawl: In 2024, PC Vanlalawia, who has a rice field in Zawlpui, Serchhip district in Mizoram, harvested one of the worst yields yet on his rice farm. “We did not even harvest half of what we harvested the previous year,” he told EastMojo. The family whose main source of income is their rice field saw a loss of two-thirds of their annual harvest due to destruction by rainfall and flooding. And climate change, many believe, is part of the problem, but not the only one.
“We have years where we have low yields and years where we have high yields but it has never gotten worse to the point it has this year,” he explained. He has been yielding rice harvests from this farm since 2016 and in the past nine years, it was the worst year.
Vanlalawia’s rice field, he says, was flooded at least five times and it destroyed most of their crops. He shares his woes with hundreds of other farmers in Mizoram due to the impact of climate change. These changes are marked by shifting rainfall patterns, temperature fluctuations, and increasingly unpredictable weather, all of which have far-reaching consequences for farming communities that rely heavily on the environment for sustenance. This explainer delves into how these climate shifts are affecting Mizoram’s agricultural productivity and its ecosystems.
In 2024, Mizoram experienced one of the highest recorded rainfalls in the state’s history. According to a report in Zalen, the rainfall between January and June 2023 was 660.6 mm, while by mid-2024, it had surged to 1,010.5 mm.
Climate change is often linked to heavy rainfall and extreme weather conditions. An article by the European Commission highlighted how water scarcity can dry up land, leading to crop failures and health risks due to a lack of drinking water. The article also explained that climate change contributes to heavier rainfall and extreme flooding in certain areas.
Another farmer, Chhawna, who has been farming for over 20 years and owns a vegetable farm, told EastMojo, “The contrasting temperatures have affected us. The floods were so frequent that our corn, brinjal—everything—was destroyed. Again and again, we replanted the vegetables, hoping they would yield produce.”
It is not only the heavy rainfall that is affecting them. It is the heavy rainfall combined with manmade disasters that makes it worse for these farmers. In 2024, Lianthangi received the worst yield yet from their rice harvest. Having been from a farming family for generations, the rice field is the family of four main sources of income and has brought food to their table and education for her children. However, their income was cut abruptly due to the low yield.
“The rains were so heavy that they flooded our rice fields and split it into half. It damaged all our crops,” she said.
To add to Muanthangi’s woes, it was not only water buildup and floods from the rainfall that affected them. There was also the problem of soil buildup. The NHIDCL’s work constructing the national highway discarded unscrupulous amounts of soil.
“Every time there is heavy rain, the discarded soil loosens and accumulates in our rice fields, destroying our crops. Half of our field is now unusable. Around 2 acres have become completely unfit for cultivation because of the NHIDCL’s soil disposal,” she said.
In 2024, their annual yield was reduced by half. Despite their tireless efforts to clear the soil using JCBs, she explained that the soil quality had deteriorated significantly. She added that this issue has persisted for three years and worsens with each heavy rainfall.
It is not only Muanthangi who has shared issues they faced due to the manmade disaster of the NHIDCL. Two other farmers shared the same woes.
Neihsanga, a farmer from the Serchhip district, shared that road construction activities have severely impacted the yield of their crops, including mustard leaves and cabbage.
“In previous years, our yield was so large that the pickup truck would make at least three weekly trips to Aizawl. Now, we barely have enough for one trip a week,” he said. He added that a significant portion of their cabbage crops had been destroyed, contributing to the rise in vegetable prices in Mizoram’s capital, Aizawl.
Chhawna, a vegetable farm owner, also told EastMojo, “The soil from the digging done by NHIDCL road constructors fills up our land, and every time there is heavy rainfall, all our crops are destroyed. The poor quality of the soil prevents our crops from yielding a good harvest. We are very distressed.”
Activists in Aizawl have often brought up the issue of unscrupulous soil disposal by the NHIDCL which has affected riverbanks.
Earlier this year in May, the Supreme Court reprimanded the Mizoram government and the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for approving development projects within Mizoram‘s Riverine and Roadside Reserved Forests without obtaining mandatory approvals from the state’s Forest Department.
In July the Chief Minister Lalduhoma and Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vanlalhlana met with Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road, Transport, and Highways to address the failures of retaining walls constructed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
In 2022, Saitual Deputy Commissioner VL Hruaizela revealed that improper soil disposal by contractors working under the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) during highway expansion projects in Mizoram caused significant environmental damage, destroying forests, rivers, and ponds. Although spoil banks were established every two kilometres along highways, contractors indiscriminately dumped soil in unauthorized areas, leading to landslides that claimed two lives. The district administration formed a Highway Monitoring Committee and repeatedly instructed the NHIDCL to enforce proper disposal practices, but violations persisted. A media visit to National Highways 54 and 6 confirmed widespread non-compliance, with soil improperly dumped in violation of guidelines.
Shifting Rainfall Patterns and Agricultural Challenges
Recent findings from the Climate Change Cell of Mizoram indicate alarming variations in rainfall patterns across the state. The study, which used the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) to analyze rainfall trends, revealed a significant reduction in post-monsoon and winter rainfall. These reductions are expected to worsen water shortages, intensify the risk of uncontrolled forest fires, and disrupt the agricultural calendar. The timing and amount of rainfall, which have always been crucial for crop cultivation in the region, are becoming increasingly unreliable. As a result, farmers face more frequent droughts, impacting crop yields and threatening food security.
In 2021, a group of researchers from the Department of Forestry, Mizoram University, published findings highlighting that drastic climate changes have compelled farmers to shift to crops better suited to changing climatic conditions. For instance, farmers who previously cultivated oranges are now growing dragon fruits due to the decline in orange yield.
The study also revealed that Mizoram has a vulnerability index of 0.71, ranking it as the second most vulnerable state among the 12 Himalayan states. This vulnerability is primarily attributed to high horticulture output and the significant area under rain-fed crop cultivation.
Additionally, the research projected future climate impacts on human health, indicating that people living in high mountainous regions are at an increased risk of diseases like malaria and dengue. The findings emphasize the urgency of reducing such risks by enhancing management policies to address the adaptation gap and mitigate the effects of future climate change.
In addition to the impact on agriculture, the analysis conducted by Mizoram’s Climate Change Cell highlighted an increased vulnerability to landslides in areas like Aizawl. The study found that heavy rainfall exceeding 16 mm per day, especially amid a lack of prior rainfall, can trigger landslides in this region. Over three years (2019–2021), the data collected revealed that 67 instances of rainfall surpassed the threshold for landslide risk, of which 13 resulted in actual landslides. The probability of landslides was calculated at 19%, underscoring the growing risks posed by the changing weather patterns in the state.
Rainfall and Temperature Trends Across Mizoram
A report prepared by the Mizoram Science, Technology, and Innovation Council in 2024 examined the rainfall and temperature fluctuations in the state between 1986 and 2017. According to the data, Mizoram receives an average annual rainfall of 2,551.88 mm, with districts like Champhai receiving the least (2,161.66 mm) and Lunglei the highest (3,204.73 mm). Despite receiving more rainfall than the state average, Lawngtlai and Serchhip districts experience the most variability in rainfall. This variability makes these districts highly sensitive to climate change, particularly in agricultural productivity. As rainfall becomes less predictable, farmers in these districts are at greater risk of crop failure, especially since many rely solely on rainfall for irrigation.
Valpuia, a climate scientist from the Mizoram Science, Technology & Innovation Council, told EastMojo, “Rainfall this year was higher than in previous years. While we cannot conclusively say it is due to climate change, the statistical evidence we have points to fluctuations in temperature.”
He explained that in 2017, relentless torrents of rainfall resulted in low yields for farmers, as there was insufficient time for them to harvest rice. Conversely, in 2019, the land was so dry, and rainfall so scarce, that cultivation could not be carried out on a full scale. However, he noted that the impact of climate change has also benefited some farmers. Due to the altitude shift, areca nut has started yielding better in drier years.
He highlighted the increase in insects especially when it comes to specific crops like oranges where there are more insects due to rising temperatures.
A survey conducted between December 2022 and January 2023 identified several crops affected by climate change, including ginger, stink beans, passion fruit, oranges, rice, corn, and chilli. Farmers have reported losses due to pests like the fall armyworm, diseases like stink bug infestations, and crop damage caused by irregular rainfall and hail. In some cases, crops like rice and corn are suffering from grubs and diseases, leading to significant yield reductions.
Apart from the crops mentioned here, EastMojo also spoke to farmers engaged in banana and areca nut cultivation who reported low yields due to the changing climate factors.
A banana plantation farmer from Khumtung village, Saii told EastMojo, “Our yield is worse than other years, the rain and storms destroyed our banana trees. Also, we face difficulty in transporting our banana harvests as the roads are destroyed during the heavy rains.”
While some short-term benefits have been reported—such as new fruiting in certain crops like stink beans, oranges, and tobacco—these gains are limited and do not offset the overall negative impact on agriculture. The majority of farmers are experiencing low productivity and are struggling to adapt to the rapidly changing conditions.
As traditional crops like bananas, tobacco, and apples are increasingly threatened by climate change, many farmers in Mizoram are abandoning these crops in favour of more resilient, exotic varieties that can withstand the unpredictable weather. Additionally, some communities are shifting to livestock farming, raising pigs and Mithun as alternatives to crop farming. This shift reflects the farmers’ need to adapt to the new climate reality, but it also highlights the challenges faced by those who depend on traditional farming methods for their livelihoods.
In addition to the challenges posed by changing weather, Mizoram also witnessed increased pest infestations and the spread of invasive species. A State Action Plan on Climate Change prepared by the government of Mizoram in 2018 said the rising temperatures and CO2 levels have accelerated insect multiplication rates, making crops once resistant to pests more susceptible. At the same time, invasive species like Lantana camara are encroaching on native habitats, disrupting the forest ecosystem and altering soil nutrient cycles and water usage. This invasion of non-native species, combined with habitat fragmentation, has led to increased human-wildlife conflicts, as animals are forced to adapt to rapidly changing environments.
The report said, that in recent years, the frequency of seed- and soil-borne rice diseases, such as stem rot, sheath rot, leaf scald, blast disease, and bakanae, has significantly increased. Several of these diseases are correlated with early winters and high rainfall during panicle formation. These factors were likely to have negatively impacted food security and crop production.
It also highlighted that erratic rainfall patterns have further disrupted their traditional cropping schedules and Jhum cultivation calendar. According to the Compendium of Environment Statistics Report 2016, heavy floods and rains in Mizoram during 2015 caused damage totalling approximately Rs. 63.60 lakh, with crop losses amounting to around Rs. 38.60 lakh.
The productivity, distribution, and seasonality of fish species, along with the quality and availability of their habitats, are also highly sensitive to climate change. Likely impacts on fisheries include shifts in species distribution and migration, habitat fragmentation, changes in the sex ratio of certain species, depletion of dissolved oxygen, and alterations in breeding seasons.
The report further suggested that climate change is expected to severely affect livestock production systems worldwide. Increasing heat stress has hindered animal growth, reduced reproductive efficiency, and led to decreased milk and egg production. Additionally, rising temperatures had caused physiological disturbances and the emergence of rare diseases, alongside an increase in vector-borne diseases affecting livestock. For example, the outbreaks of Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS) in pigs and Goat Pox in Mizoram served as evidence of these climate-related challenges.
A district-wise vulnerability index, based on biophysical and socio-economic factors, revealed that Lawngtlai is the most vulnerable district to climate change, followed by Mamit and Lunglei. These districts, where agriculture plays a significant role in the local economy, are particularly at risk due to their reliance on consistent rainfall and the impact of extreme weather events. The vulnerability index emphasizes the urgent need for targeted interventions in these regions, including better water resource management, enhanced pest control, and promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices.
The climate scientist and his team are conducting critical surveys in the agricultural sector in various districts of Mizoram to understand the impact of climate change. He said while they are engaged in knowledge generation, the application of the knowledge for policy formulations would have to be taken up at the policy level.
This story has been published as part of the AIPP-EastMojo Fellowship 2024
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