Once notorious for liquor, this Mizo village now lives on

Once notorious for illegally producing local liquor 'Rakzu', a Mizoram village is now living on farming and allied activities following the intervention of a central government-run rural livelihood project for the northeastern region, funded by the World Bank.
Located about 60 km southwest of state capital Aizawl, Darlawng village in Thingsulthliah block has a population of over 680, majority of whom had earlier, despite a statewide prohibition, depended on producing 'Rakzu', a kind of rice beer, for their livelihood as agricultural output was low owing to a lack of proper irrigation facilities.
However, in 2012, the village community decided to stop illegal production of liquor. And when the village was looking for alternative livelihood avenues, the North East Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP), run by the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Ministry and funded by the World Bank, made an intervention to ensure economic empowerment of the people.

A minor irrigation project was implemented in Darlawng under the Community Development Plan of NERLP, leading to a substantial increase in farm yields and expansion of the area of settled cultivation.
Under the project, water was sourced from three nearby streams--Sahlam Lui, Darlawng tlang Lui and Cher Chawm Lui-- and used for agriculture.
"This made a huge difference to the villagers. Farm yield went up substantially and the area of settled cultivation too increased from 20 hectares to over 36 hectares. About 130 of the 160 households in the village are now involved in agriculture and allied activities, whereas earlier the figure stood at about 70," says Reuben Ranglong, Aizawl District Project Manager of NERLP.

"In addition, a road to aid the agricultural work was constructed by the community under MGNREGA, orange cultivation grew with assistance from the state horticulture department and several farmers received assistance for starting fisheries with help from the Integrated Watershed Management Programme," he says.