Nagaland Agriculture department issues monsoon advisory

• DIMAPUR — The Agriculture department has issued a monsoon preparedness advisory focusing on pest management and crop strategies to help farmers mitigate risks during the season.
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• The advisory for monsoon 2025 mentioned scouting for insect pests, including fall army worm (FAW); surveillance and monitoring of pest and disease incidence; and reporting to the nearest Agriculture office for necessary control measures if required.

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• It was also advised to keep in touch with district and sub-division Agriculture officials and Agricultural Technology Management Agency personnel for weather forecasts from the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority, the India Meteorological Department, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to ensure alertness and prompt action in case of any eventuality.
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• Farmers have been encouraged to adopt crop diversification, multiple cropping, or double cropping to cope with climatic uncertainty and reduce the risk of monocrop failure.
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• Further, from May to July 2025, for jhum (shifting cultivation), staggered log bunding across slopes is recommended to check run-off water during heavy rainfall. Areas for gully plucking should be surveyed and identified, using locally available materials to prevent nallah formation. Lodged crops should be stacked or bound together in bundles. Short-duration crops supplied by the Department, such as maize, pulses, and oilseeds, can be sown up to the first week of June.
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• For terrace rice cultivation (WRC or Pani Kheti), staggered seed sowing (two weeks apart) in nursery beds is recommended to cope with climate unpredictability. Prepare side drains around nursery beds to protect against flash floods and wash-off. Early field preparation for TRC/WRC and direct seeding may be adopted to minimise labour costs. Where possible, use single and young seedlings for better yield.