Eighth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

The Mizo area was historically a liminal and fluid space defined by the persistence of fluid notions of sovereignty and territoriality. It was annexed by the British in 1890. The sources for the production of food for the pre-colonial Mizos were: agricultural practices, Forest and, the fishing. However, in this paper we would be taking up taking up only agricultural practices and food production. The Mizos had been practising shifting cultivation, variously known as rotational bush-fallow agriculture, swidden cultivation, slash-and-burn cultivation, Jhumming for food production. However, this method of cultivation came under attack during the colonial times. In the writing of the British officials the Mizos have been represented as head-taking savages, uncivilized and their method of agriculture was perceived to be primitive. The colonial officials as well the missionaries aimed to ‘”mprove’”the moral and manners of the Mizos. Teaching modern methods of agriculture formed an important aspect of this discourse. Permanent Wet Rice Cultivativation (WRC) and “terrace” farming was promoted as an alternative to shifting cultivation. However, except some valley areas the Mizos continued to practice shifting cultivation. In the post-colonial Mizoram there was pressure to grow more food and therefore attempts to explore alternative system culminated into New Land Use Policy (NLUP). An attempt has also been made to study the impact of this policy. The Paper is based on archival as well as oral source.