The potential of wet rice cultivation in Mizoram, India: A case for attaining self sufficiency in food security
Vishwambhar Prasad Sati
Department of Geography and Resource Management, Mizoram University (A Central University), Aizwal – 796004, India
Corresponding author (Email: sati.vp@gmail.com)
Received: 10th November 2020; Accepted: 25th December 2020
Abstract
A large number of rural people in Mizoram are fully dependent on agriculture for running their livelihoods. Paddy is the staple crop, grown both under shifting and wet rice cultivation whereas arable land under paddy is significantly low under wet rice cultivation. This paper examines the potential of wet rice cultivation to attain self-sufficiency in food security in Mizoram based on Time series data of 2009-10 and 2014-15 on area, production, and yield of wet rice cultivation. It has been suggested that if a sizeable portion of arable land is devoted to wet rice cultivation and adequate irrigation facilities are provided, then the production and yield of rice will increase multifold.