Agrarian Landscape of Mizoram, India: Shifting Cultivation, Socio‑Economic Transformation and Income Inequality

Abstract

This study examines the socio‑economic transitions of Mizoram post-Independence, with particular focus on the changing role of shifting cultivation and the emergence of income inequality. The paper begins by situating customary landholding under chieftainship and traditional agriculture practices through pre-colonial, colonial, and post‑independence transformations. The study also tries to assess the effect of income on the equality among rual households in Mizoram using large household-level data from the NSSO 77th Round (2018–19) on agricultural income and its sources were compiled covering 392 households, of which 290 continue shifting cultivation term as ‘adopters’ and 102 as ‘non‑adopters for various income sources viz crop production, livestock, wages and salaries, non‑farm enterprises, leased land, and remittances were source from this dataset. The results indicate that among adopters, crop cultivation and wage labour together account for 90% of total income, underscoring their continued reliance on shifting cultivation. In contrast, non‑adopters derive roughly 50% of their income from formal wages and salaries and 31% from crop production, reflecting a shift toward diversified, non‑agricultural livelihoods. These findings reveal that, although commercialisation and state support have benefited some, households practising shifting cultivation remain economically vulnerable. By tracing shifts in land use, income strategies, and social outlook, this study highlights uneven outcomes in Mizoram rural development and underscores the persistence of inequality despite broader economic change.