The Department of Agriculture, Government of Mizoram continues to battle the menace of Fall Army Worm (FAW) which has already caused extensive damage to maize cultivation in Mizoram. FAW was detected last year in several states prompting the Centre to alert state governments of possible FAW attack. The state's Agriculture Department immediately warned all its district offices to prepare for possible outbreak, following which special squads were set up in every district even before the constitution of Rapid Response Team on 24th April this year.

The Rapid Response Team is taking all possible steps to monitor, check and mitigate damages caused by the outbreak of Fall Army Worm (FAW). The State’s Central Integrated Pest Management Centre (CIPM) is also working in consultation with the Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine & Storage (DPPQ&S), Government of India. High level meetings were held with the Chief Minister and the Minister in charge of Agriculture regarding FAW outbreak.

The department has distributed pesticides to maize cultivators and also made efforts to educate the farmers on how to use pesticides more effectively. Agriculture Department offices in the Districts, Sub-Divisions and the Directorate in Aizawl remain open during office holidays to facilitate farmers. 

The Department has advised maize farmers to avoid using chemical pesticides which are not recommended by the Agriculture Experts and also to carefully follow instructions for mixing and using them.