Transforming livelihoods through sustainable and improved pig farming in the Dampa Thorangtlang landscape, Mizoram

28/05/2025

Nestled in the rugged hills of Mizoram, the Dampa-Thorangtlang landscape is a diverse ecological region characterized by dense forests, cascading streams, and rich biodiversity. This landscape not only supports unique flora and fauna but also sustains traditional agrarian communities that are deeply connected to their landscape. Among the key livelihood activities, pig farming holds significant cultural and economic importance, serving as a primary source of protein and a critical income-generating activity for local households.

Despite its economic significance, pig farming in the Dampa-Thorangtlang landscape faces several challenges, including low piglet availability, insufficient meat production and restricted alternative livelihood options – especially for communities residing near protected areas, where agricultural expansion is limited. The 2024 African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak further exacerbated these issues, decimating pip populations and threatening livelihood security in the region.

Feasts have always been central to Mizo celebrations, with meat playing an important role in it. Historically, animals have held deep significance in religious rites and rituals. As a result, pig rearing has become an essential part of our culture and tradition to provide a steady supply of meat to sustain our community. However, the frequent outbreaks of ASF have made pig rearing difficult, shares 48-year-old PC Laltlawmlova, Village Council Secretary, West Bunghmun, Mizoram.

Recognizing the urgent need to revitalize pig production, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) Green-Ag project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), introduced a community-based piggery value chain as a sustainable livelihood alternative. This initiative focuses on establishing decentralized pig breeding units, integrating scientific rearing practices, and improving backyard pigsty infrastructure to enhance productivity while promoting sustainable land management. By reducing dependency on forest-based resources, the project also contributes to biodiversity conservation and mitigates land degradation.

A newly improved pigsty constructed in Mizoram under FAO's Green-Ag project. ©FAO

The piggery investment plan under the Green-Ag project aims to enhance climate-resilient and disease-resistant pig farming by promoting the indigenous Burmese Black breed. This includes improved pigsty designs, enhanced farm biosecurity measures, and the introduction of better feeding and disease management strategies. Targeting 462 pig-rearing households across the landscape, the initiative integrates modern livestock management practices with traditional knowledge, ensuring sustainable income generation and resilience.

Pig feed is distributed to local households in the Lunglei district, Mizoram. ©FAO

A key aspect of the intervention is capacity building and infrastructure development. The project in collaboration with the Mizoram Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, has established decentralized pig breeding units with co-financed infrastructure through project funding and beneficiary contributions. Through Farmer Field Schools (FFS), identified farmers receive hands-on-training on scientific pig-rearing, covering areas such as feed management, farm-biosecurity measures, vaccination protocols, and waste management.

A farm biosecurity training in progress in West Bunghmun district, Mizoram. ©FAO

A farmer feeding her pig kept in the improved sty. ©FAO

To foster sustainability and scalability, the project adopts a community-sharing model, where piglets are distributed to selected households for rearing, ensuring a continuous cycle of production. Initially, 63 households across three villages in the Lunglei district received one boar and 20 sows per household, providing a strong foundation for expanding pig farming in the region.

The high cost of piglets and transportation challenges made it difficult for us to afford them, and with fewer piglets available in the area, sustaining pig farming was becoming increasingly hard. This project has brought much-needed support, reducing input costs and making pig rearing viable,” shares Lalfakzuali Sailo, a 39-year-old pig farmer from Sesawm village, Mizoram. “We are hopeful for a brighter future, she adds.

Building on its initial success, the project plans to replicate and expand this model across other villages in the Mamit district, ensuring steady population growth in pigs while fostering inclusive economic benefits. The long-term vision is to re-establish a thriving piggery sector in Mizoram, offering a sustainable and replicable model for the state government to replicate.

Aligned with the Green-Ag principles, the initiative emphasizes indigenous breed conservation to reduce reliance on crossbred pigs. By providing farmers with support for improved backyard pigstys and access to quality feed and veterinary services, the project ensures long-term productivity, disease resistance and financial stability and thereby a robust investment potential.

Through this intervention, the FAO-GEF Green-Ag project is revitalizing local pig farming, reducing dependence on unsustainable practices, and enhancing rural livelihoods. By integrating climate resilience and biosecure and resilient farming methods, this initiative is strengthening community resilience while contributing to biodiversity conservation and food security in Mizoram.

Project: Green-Ag : Transforming Indian Agriculture for Global Environmental Benefits and the Conservation of Critical Biodiversity and Forest Landscapes