Shillong: Meghalaya remains one of India’s wettest states, yet its farmers still bet the house on the monsoon. Data shows massive rainfall swings: 1,382 mm in 2018, 2,785 mm in 2019, and 3,094 mm in 2017. Some zones grab 10,000 mm while others see just 1,270 mm.
The state has a water paradox. Steep hills and dissected slopes make capturing water a nightmare. Flash floods and siltation wreck irrigation systems, making them unreliable for multiple harvests. Only 9.87 percent of the state’s land is cropped, though most people depend on farming to survive.
Previous efforts brought 24,460 hectares under irrigation through 173 flow and lift projects. These systems rarely hit full capacity during the Rabi season. The department currently seeks firms to install micro-irrigation systems under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana. Officials also released the Draft Meghalaya State Agriculture Policy 2026 for public comment until September 30.
The department admits that "irrigation is essential for increasing productivity, enabling multiple cropping and reducing dependence on rain-fed cultivation." Rainfall means little if it disappears down a mountain slope before the dry months hit. The state must now figure out how to keep water in the fields, not just in the clouds.
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