PIB: Government steps for promotion of agriculture

• The Ministry is implementing various crop development schemes for increasing production and productivity of the crops in the country viz.
• National Food Security Mission(NFSM) on rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals and Commercial Crops (cotton, jute & sugarcane); Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI) and Crop Diversification Programme(CDP).

Steps Taken

• Under these schemes, scientific crop production technologies are being promoted at the farmers’ field through organization of cluster demonstrations and training of farmers with latest crop production technologies such as timely sowing, seed rate, recommended package of practices etc. for reduction in the cost of cultivation.
• At least 30% of the cluster demonstrations under NFSM and BGREI are being conducted by adopting cropping system approach to utilize the rice fallow area for pluses cultivation.
• Assistance is given to farmers on distribution of improved seeds/hybrids, farm implements/machines, irrigation devices, plant protection chemicals, bio pesticides for promoting Integrated Pest Management and soil ameliorants etc. through State Government.
• New initiatives like distribution of seed minikits of newer varieties of pulses free of cost, production of quality seed (breeder, foundation and certified seed), creation of seed hubs at SAU and KVKs, strengthening of bio-fertilizers and bio agent labs at SAUs/ICAR Institute, technological demonstration by KVKs and enhancing up breeder seed production have been included under NFSM during 2016-17 for enhancing pulses production and productivity.
• The Commercial Crops (cotton/jute/sugarcane) primarily focus on cropping system approach for transfer of technology in the approved States.

Crops Diversification Programme

• Besides, Crops Diversification Programme is being implemented in original green revolution states viz. Punjab, Haryana and in Western UP to diversify paddy area towards less water requiring crops like oilseeds, pulses, coarse cereal, agro-forestry and shifting of tobacco farmers to alternative crops/cropping system in tobacco growing States viz. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Cropping system based Training

• Under NFSM and BGREI there is provision of ‘Cropping system based Training’ of farmers which includes four sessions i.e. one before kharif and rabi season, one each during kharif and rabi season.
• Under this programme, training of trainers/farmers is imparted by Crop/Subject matter specialist of ICAR Institute/SAUs /KVKs and involves various crop management practices (agronomic and plant protection practices) including primary processing of produce, storage etc. and also to create awareness about the new high yielding varieties/hybrids and new practices.

Per Drop More Crop

• The Per Drop More Crop component of PMKSY is implemented with the objective of enhancing Water Use Efficiency.
• The scheme is farmer centric and assistance is provided to the farmers for adopting precision irrigation technologies and On farm water management practices.
• The scheme has been approved with an outlay of Rs. 50,000 Crore for a period of 5 years (2015-16 to 2019-20).
• During 2015-16, Rs. 7298.7 Crore were released under the above components of NMSA through all concerned implementing Ministries/ Departments.

Strengthening and Modernization of Pest Management Approach in India

• The Government is implementing “Strengthening and Modernization of Pest Management Approach in India” through 35 Central Integrated Pest Management Centres (CIPMCs) of directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage established across the country with an aim to promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach.
• CIPMCs inter alia, produce biological agents for release in the fields, conserve natural bio-control agents, promote bio-pesticides as an alternative to chemical pesticides and advocate judicious and safe use of chemical pesticides as a last resort.
• These activities are implemented through Farmers Field Schools (FFSs), 2 days and 5 days training programmes and season long training program for State Agriculture Extension officers.

National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm

• National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP) programme is under implementation since 2014-15.
• The various interventions of this Mission are implemented through the State Government.
• Under this programme the Transfer of Technology (TOT) component, the assistance is provided to states for conducting Farmers Training and Trainers Training programme, in which training is provided to the farmers and extension workers educating the farmers to avail the benefits of the NMOOP programme.
• An assistance of Rs. 24,000/- per training of 3 days for farmers and Rs. 36,000/- per training of 2 days for extension workers are available under NMOOP.

The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

• The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), envisages production and productivity improvement of horticulture crops like fruits (including Apple) and vegetables through various interventions.
• Activities such as production of planting material, vegetable seed production, coverage of area with improved cultivars, rejuvenation of senile orchards, protected cultivation, creation of water resources, adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), organic farming, including insitu generation of organic inputs are taken up for development of fruits and vegetables.
• Capacity buildings of farmers and technicians are also provided for adopting improved technologies.
• Scheme also envisages creation of infrastructure for post harvest management (PHM) and marketing for better price realization of produce.
• Under NHM/HMNEH of MIDH, subsidy is provided to the farm size limited to 4 ha in majority of the intervention.
• Also small and marginal farmers are mobilized to form FPO/FIG for aggregation and economies of scale. FPOs are eligible for financial assistance under MIDH.
• Under MIDH, in certain components like cultivation of flowers in open field and horticulture mechanization there is a provision to provide higher rate of assistance for small and marginal farmers for upliftment of small and marginal farmers.

Development of alternative marketing channels

• The Government has taken several steps to improve marketing facilities for farmers, which includes development of alternative marketing channels with private sector partnership through advocacy of reforms.
• Further, to enhance transparency in the transactions, price discovery and farmers’ reach to large number of markets and buyers, the Government has launched a scheme called National Agriculture Market (e-NAM).
• The scheme aims to create a unified agri-marketing portal for online trading of agri-produce.
• With online bidding, transparency and competition in APMC transactions is bound to increase.
• This scheme is farmer focussed and would help fetch better prices to the farmers for their produce. Capacity building and awareness campaigning for all stakeholders is done regularly.
• So far, 250 markets from 10 States have been integrated with e-NAM.