Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 27 September 2025
In a proactive move to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has dispatched a six-member UT-level committee to Little Andaman to assess the severe pest infestation affecting plantation crops.
The team, which includes senior officials from the Administration alongside experts from ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (CIARI) and the Central Integrated Pest Management Centre (CIPMC), will conduct an on-site evaluation, interact with local farmers and Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members, and recommend urgent remedial measures.
To ensure long-term and sustainable solutions, the Administration is also preparing to request support from an expert team from the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India. This initiative aims to bring national-level technical expertise to the Islands, reinforcing the commitment to protect plantation crops and secure farmers’ incomes.
The Department of Agriculture has assured farmers that their concerns are being treated as a priority and that timely interventions and scientific solutions will be implemented without delay.
This decisive action highlights the Administration’s farmer-first approach and underscores its dedication to safeguarding the agricultural backbone of the Islands.
