Mizoram government supplies ‘poison’ to farmers to kill fear of famine brought by rodents

Mizoram government started supplying rodenticides to farmers free of cost, in view of the increasing problem of rodents destroying crops and thereby removing the fear of famine, and the troubled days witnessed in the past.

The director of Mizoram agriculture department James Lalsimliana told DH from Aizawl on Tuesday that agriculture officials in at least eight of the state’s 11 districts have been provided rodenticides to kill the rats, following reports of growing problems of rodent attack on crops since early August.

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“The problem is serious in Lunglei and Mamit district where the rodents have done massive destruction to crops grown on the hills. In Lunglei, nearly 198 hectares of crops have been eaten by the rodents in 28 villages, while crops in 95.6 hectare have been damaged in six villages in Mamit. Apart from free distribution of the rodenticides, we are creating awareness among farmers on how to use them. At the same time, we are trying to remove the fear about possible repeat of the famine-like situation which Mizoram witnessed in 1977 and 2007,” Lalsimliana said.

Lalsimliana also said that flowering of ronal, a new bamboo species, led to the rise in problems of rodent attack on crops. “The rats love the bamboo flowers and while eating the bamboo flowers, they infest the crop fields too,” he said.

Maize and paddy are the two major crops in the hilly state and has nearly 6,000 hectares with maize cultivation at present.

The rise in rodent attacks could be an indication about flowering of Bambusa Tulda, another bamboo species in 2025, like it happened in 1977.

“Bambusa Tulda flowers after every 48 years. So, we are taking urgent steps to avoid the troubled days we witnessed in the past,” he said.

Mizoram witnessed massive rodent attack on its crops following ‘mautam’ or large-scale bamboo flowering in 1958-59 that culminated into a separatist movement led by late rebel leader Laldenga six years later.

More than 100 people had died due to the famine-like situation caused by destruction of crops. Mizoram was part of Assam then, but the state government’s alleged failure to tackle the situation resulted in the formation of Mizo National Famine Front and later Mizo National Front (MNF). The front, led by Laldeng, staged an uprising in 1966 and declared secession from India.

The situation turned so serious that the Centre had to use air force to tackle the Mizo rebels and force them sign an accord in 1986. Present Chief Minister Zoramthanga was a close aide of Landenga and took over MNF following his death in 1990.