1. Minor Irrigation Scheme
Although Mizoram receives about 2500mm of rainfall annually from monsoon, about 80% rainfall is within a matter of 4 (four) months, leaving the rest of the year dry or semi dry. Even during monsoon season, some stream size is not sufficient to irrigate all the potential areas specially for puddling of paddy fields. As Mizoram is a hilly state, most of the potential areas are found along the deep river gorges, making them difficult to approach. In order to utilize the limited potential area the State has and to increase crop production so as to attain self sufficiency in food, the Department has constructed 439 minor Irrigation Projects with Project Approach Road wherever necessary, covering total culturable area of 18,228 ha. Under this Scheme, both Lift and River Diversion Scheme (gravity irrigation) are carried out.
2. Anti-Erosion Scheme/Flood Management Programme :
Under this Scheme, protection of WRC area is carried out. The texture and structure of soil in Mizoram is generally sandy gravely loose. The State is facing heavy rainfall and long monsoon season which leads to heavy runoff and landslides, soil erosion and land subsidence in the river banks which damages agricultural land and crops every year. To control and manage erosion and check further damage to agricultural fields, the Department has started taking up Anti-Erosion/Flood Management Programme since 2010. So far only one (1) Scheme has been completed in Mizoram. Seeing the needs of farmers in the state and the benefits of this completed Scheme, the Department has put more efforts in this line, and many Schemes are coming up now from different parts of Mizoram.
3. Command Area Development & Water Management Programme (CAD&WM):
Under this Scheme, construction of field channels and field drains, land leveling & shaping works etc are done. A study of several completed Minor Irrigation Projects has revealed that utilization of potentials created by completed projects is low mainly due to absence of field channels, water logging, difficulty of land leveling & shaping by the farmers etc. To address these problems the Department has taken up CAD & WM Schemes.
