Spatial Variability in Temporal Trends of Precipitation and its Impact on the Agricultural Scenario of Mizoram

Long-term monthly rainfall observations (1986-2014) were analysed for 12 rain-gauge stations installed at variable altitudes of Mizoram. Our objective was to assess the temporal change in the standardized precipitation index (SPI) values at different timescales using Mann-Kendall trend tests. Significant reductions in post-monsoon and winter rainfall were recorded for most of the sites. Increasing dryness during the winter months may intensify the acute water shortage in Mizoram. Our results emphasize the altitudinal insensitivity of mean monthly rainfall trend and the urgent need for adopting suitable water management practices to cope with the water scarcity problem to increase the resiliency of rabi agriculture in Mizoram in near future.