AGRICULTURE

MANOJ K. JHA

1. NATIONAL
MISSION
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme and

the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme
(NAIS), scaling the returns at that level.

FOR

Recognizing the challenge of climate change

to Indian agriculture, the National Mission for
Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), which is one
of the eight Missions under the National Action
Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) has been
conceptualized. The proposed national mission
will focus on four areas crucial to agriculture
in adapting to climate change, namely dryland
agriculture, risk management, access to
information, and use of biotechnology.
Climate Change Risks at Three Levels

Crop (Livestock) Level: Productivity and

Quality of Produce

Farm (Cropping System) Level: Soil quality,

Water resources, Pest & Diseases

Food System Level: Pricing, Food Security

To promote "laboratory to land" research

by creating model villages and model farm
units in rain-fed and dryland areas.

To strategise long-term interventions for

emission reduction from energy and
nonenergy uses by way of introduction of
suitable crop varieties and farm practices,
livestock and manure management.

To realise the enormous potential of growth

in dryland agriculture through the
development of drought and pest resistant
crop varieties, adopting resource-conserving
technologies, providing institutional support
to farmers and capacity building of
stakeholders.

2.

THE NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY

MISSION (NFSM)

Launched in Rabi 2007-08 with a view to

enhancing the production of rice, wheat,
and pulses by 10 million tonnes, 8 million
tones, and 2 million tonnes respectively

The Mission aims to increase production

through area expansion and productivity;
create employment opportunities; and
enhance the farm-level economy to restore
confidence of farmers.

Besides, a series of activities for more

vigorous promotion of pulse crops has been
adopted under the NFSM to intensify the
pulse production programme from 2010-11.
These are:

Mission Objectives

To devise strategic plans at the agro-climatic

zone level so that action plans are
contextualized to regional scales in the areas
of research and development (R&D),
technology and practices, infrastructure and
capacity building.
To enhance agricultural productivity
through customised interventions such as
use of bio-technology to develop improved
varieties of crops and livestock, promoting
efficient irrigation systems, demonstration
of appropriate technology, capacity building
and skill development.
To facilitate access to information and
institutional support by expanding
Automatic Weather Station networks to the
Panchayat level and linking them to existing
insurance mechanisms including the

i.

Merging of the pulse component of the

Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses,
Oil Palm and Maize (ISOPOM) with the

NFSM so as to increase the scope and

area coverage of the pulses programme.
Jharkhand and Assam have also been
included under the programme since
there is immense potential for pulse
promotion in rice fallows.
ii. Through a new programme under the
NFSM called the Accelerated Pulses
Production Programme (A3P), 1000
block demonstrations of technology have
been launched from 2010-11.

Another programme, namely Bringing

Green Revolution in the Eastern States is
operational in seven states - Uttar Pradesh,
Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam,
Orissa, and Chhattisgarh.
The Rice Development and Organizing
Pulses and Oilseeds Villages is another
programme, beside the pulses promotion
strategies and other initiatives undertaken
to boost agricultural productivity in these
states.

3.

THE RASHTRIYA KRISHI VIKAS

YOJANA (RKVY)

Launched in 2007-08 with an outlay of Rs.

25,000 crore for the Eleventh Plan to
incentivize States to enhance public
investment so as to achieve a 4 per cent
growth rate in agriculture and allied sectors
during the Plan. Specific allocation has been
made for the following three new initiatives
introduced under the RKVY in 2010-11:
i)

Extending the Green Revolution to the

eastern region of the country, covering
the States of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Orissa, eastern UP, and West
Bengal.

ii) Special initiatives for pulses and oilseeds

in dry-land areas by organizing 60,000
pulse and oilseeds villages in
identified watersheds where pulse
and oilseed farmers are provided farm
machinery and equipment on custom
hiring basis.
iii) Implementation of the National Mission
on Saffron - Economic Revival of Jammu
& Kashmir Saffron Sector during
2010-11.
2

The RKVY has linked 50 per cent of Central

assistance to the percentage of State Plan
expenditure on agriculture and allied sectors.

Its convergence with other schemes like the

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Scheme (MGNREGA) is
expected to boost development of the
agrarian economy.

4.

THE INTEGRATED SCHEME OF

OILSEEDS, PULSES, OIL PALM AND
MAIZE (ISOPOM)

The ISOPOM is being implemented in 14

major States for oilseeds and pulses, 15 for
maize, and 10 for oil palm.

The pulses component has been merged with

the NFSM with effect from 1 April 2010.

5.

THE NATIONAL
MISSION (NHM)

The Ministry of Agriculture has been

implementing the centrally sponsored NHM
for the holistic development of the
horticulture sector since 2005-06, duly
ensuring forward and backward linkages,
and with the active participation of all the
stakeholders.

All the States and the three Union Territories

of Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
Lakshadweep, and Puducherry are covered
under the Mission except the eight
northeastern States including Sikkim and
the States of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

The latter are covered under the

Horticulture Mission for the North East and
Himalayan States (HMNEH).

6.

NATIONAL MISSION ON MICRO

IRRIGATION

The Centrally sponsored National Mission

on Micro Irrigation (NMMI) was launched
in June 2010 in addition to the earlier Micro
Irrigation Scheme launched in January
2006.

The scheme provides assistance at 60 per

cent of the system cost for small and
marginal farmers and at 50 per cent for
general farmers.

HORTICULTURE

PROGRAMMES & POLICIES

7.

NATIONAL BAMBOO MISSION (NBM)

With a view to harnessing the potential of

the bamboo crop in the country, the Ministry
of Agriculture has been implementing the
centrally sponsored NBM in 27 States.

The Mission aims to promote holistic growth

of the bamboo sector by adopting an area
based, regionally differentiated strategy and
to increase the area under bamboo
cultivation and marketing.

8.

LIVESTOCK INSURANCE

A Centrally sponsored scheme of livestock

insurance is being implemented in all the
States with twin objectives: providing
protection mechanism to the farmers and
cattle rearers against any eventual loss of
their animals due to death; and
demonstrating the benefits of insuring
livestock to the people.

9.

REVISED MACRO MANAGEMENT OF

AGRICULTURE
In the year 2008-09, Macro Management of
Agriculture Scheme was revised to improve
its
efficacy
in
supplementing/
complementing the efforts of the States
towards enhancement of agricultural
production and productivity.
The Revised MMA scheme comprises 11 sub
schemes relating to crop production and
natural resource management.

Cooperation. Revised subsidy norms

indicate maximum permissible limit of
assistance. States may either retain the
existing norms, or increase them to a
reasonable level provided that the norms
do not exceed the revised upper limits
specified.

Two new components have been added

namely. (a) Pulses and oilseeds crop
production programmes for the areas not
covered under the Integrated Scheme of
Oilseeds Pulses, Oil Palm and Maize
(ISOPOM) and (b) "Reclamation of Acidic
Soil" along with the existing component of
"Reclamation of Alkali Soil."

Permissible ceiling for new initiatives has

been increased from existing 10 per cent to
20 per cent of the allocation.

At least 33 per cent of the funds have to be

remarked for small, marginal and women
farmers.

Active participation of the Panchayati Raj

Institutions (PRIs) of all tiers would have to
be ensured in the implementation of the
Revised MMA scheme including review,
monitoring and evaluation at district/
subdistrict level.

10. REVAMPING OF COOPERATIVE

CREDIT STRUCTURE

In January 2006, the Government

announced a package for revival of the
Short-term Rural Cooperative Credit
Structure on the recommendation of the
Vaidyanathan Committee.

The National Bank for Agriculture and

Rural Development (NABARD) has been
designated the implementing agency for the
purpose.

Some of the salient features of the Revised Macro

Management of Agriculture Scheme are as
follow:

The Practice of allocating funds to States/

UTs on historical basis has been replaced
by a new allocation criteria based on gross
cropped area and area under small and
marginal holdings. The revised MMA
Scheme has formula-based allocation criteria
and provides assistance in the form of grants
to the States/UTs on 90:10 basis except in
case of the north-eastern States and Union
Territories where the Central share is 100
per cent.
Subsidy structure has been rationalized to
make the pattern of subsidy uniform under
all the schemes implemented by the
Department
of
Agriculture
and

PROGRAMMES & POLICIES

11. REHABILITATION PACKAGE FOR

DISTRESSED FARMERS

The Government is implementing a

rehabilitation package for 31 suicide-prone
districts in the States of Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra.

Special packages are being implemented in

Kerala for the development of Kuttanad
wetland ecosystem and mitigation of
agrarian distress in Idukki district.

12. KISAN CREDIT CARD (KCC) SCHEME

The KCC scheme was introduced in August

1998.
The scheme includes reasonable components
of consumption credit and investment credit
within the overall credit limit sanctioned to
the borrowers to provide adequate and
timely credit support to the farmers for their
cultivation needs.

16. ACCELERATED IRRIGATION BENEFIT

PROGRAMME (AIBP)

The Accelerated Irrigation Benefit

Programme (AIBP) was launched during
1996- 1997 to give loan assistance to the
States to help them complete some of the
incomplete major/medium irrigation
projects which were at an advanced stage
of completion and to create additional
irrigation potential in the country.

Surface minor irrigation schemes of

northeastern states, hilly states of Sikkim,
Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh and Koraput, Bolangir
and Kalahandi districts of Orissa have also
been provided Central Loan Assistance
(CLA) under this programme since 19992000.

Grant component has been introduced in

the programme from April 2004 like other
Central Sector Schemes. As per the existing
AIBP criteria effective from December 2006,
grant amounting to 25% of the project cost
or major and medium irrigation projects in
non-special category States and 90% grant
of the project cost for major/medium/minor
irrigation projects in special category States
(including Koraput, Bolangir and Kalahandi
districts of Odisha) are provided to the
selected projects.

The minor irrigation schemes in non-special

category States falling in drought-prone/
tribal areas are treated at par with special
category States and are provided 90% grant
of the project cost.

Major and medium projects providing

irrigation benefits to drought-prone/tribal
area and flood-prone area are also eligible
for 90% grant of the project cost.

The State Governments have been provided

an amount of about Rs. 36,534 crores as
CLA/Grant under AIBP since inception of
this programme till 07.07.2009 for 268
major/ medium irrigation projects and 9,908
Surface Minor Irrigation Schemes.

13. THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL

INSURANCE SCHEME (NAIS)

The NAIS is being implemented in the

country from Rabi 1999-2000 seasons.

The Agriculture Insurance Company of

India Ltd. (AIC) is the implementing agency
(IA) for the Scheme.

The main objective of the scheme is to

protect farmers against crop losses suffered
on account of natural calamities.

The scheme is available to all the farmers loanee and non-loanee - and covers all food
crops.

14. WEATHER BASED CROP INSURANCE

SCHEME (WBCIS)

Efforts have been made to bring more

farmers under the fold of crop insurance
by introducing a Weather Based Crop
Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) as announced
in the Union Budget 2007 in selected 208
areas on pilot basis.

The WBCIS is intended to provide insurance

protection to farmers against adverse
weather incidences, which are deemed to
unfavourably impact crop production.

In addition to the Agriculture Insurance

Company of India Ltd. (AIC), private
insurers have also been included for
implementing the scheme in selected areas.

15. COCONUT
PALM
SCHEME (CPIS)

INSURANCE

The CPIS is being implemented on pilot basis

since 2009-10 in selected areas of Andhra
Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala,
Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and
West Bengal.

The scheme is administered by the Coconut

Development Board (CDB) through the AIC.

PROGRAMMES & POLICIES

17. HORTICULTURE
MISSION
FOR
NORTH EAST AND HIMALAYAN
STATES

It covers:

Plantation works

Area expansion

Post harvest management, processing, value

addition including that of aromatic plants,
marketing and exports.

Considering the potential of Horticulture for

socio-economic development of Jammu &
Kashmir,
Himachal
Pradesh
and
Uttarakhand, Technology Mission was
extended to these States from 2003-04.

Department of Agriculture will be the nodal

department for the Horticulture Mission for
coordination and implementation.

The Mission is based on the "end-to-end

approach" taking into account the entire
gamut of horticulture development, with all
backward and forward linkages, in a holistic
manner.

The Horticulture Mission will be

implemented through "Small Farmers' AgriBusiness Consortium" (SFAC), except the
programmes of ICAR, NHB, APEDA and
NCDC.

All the funds are to be routed through

SFAC, New Delhi (SFAC is a society under
the Government of India, Ministry of
Agriculture and Cooperation - Declared as
a Financial Institution under Section 17(8A)
of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934).

Half percent service charges would be paid

to SFAC Society for the funds routed
through it.

In order to improve livelihood opportunities

and to bring prosperity to the North Eastern
Region
(NER)
including
Sikkim,
Government of India launched a Technology
Mission for North East for integrated
Development of Horticulture in 2001-02.

The mission has now been renamed as

Horticulture Mission for North East and
Himalayan States (HMNEH).

The objectives of the Mission are:

To improve the production and productivity

of horticulture crops by harnessing the
potential of the region.

Special emphasis on "Low Volume, High

Value, Less Perishable Horticulture Crops".

A horticulture-based farming system to be

developed, thereby providing viable and
ample opportunities for employment,
especially for women, besides improving the
productivity of land.

The programmes under the HMNEH have been

evolved in consultation with all the
stakeholders, including the State Governments.
The HMNEH strives to address the following
issues:

18. OECD SEED SCHEMES IN INDIA

The OECD Seed Schemes provide an

international framework for the certification of
agriculture seed moving in international trade.

Membership of the Schemes is voluntary and

participation varies.

India became its member in 2008.

With the accession of India and Moldova,

number of participating countries in the
OECD Seed Schemes has increased to 57
from Europe, North and South America,
Africa, the Middle-East, Asia and Oceania.

Technology & technological development

There are seven Agriculture Seed Schemes in

OECD viz.,

Demonstration of technologies

Grasses and Legumes

Production of quality planting material

Cereals

Organic farming

Crucifers and other oil or fibre species

Efficient water management

Fodder beet and sugar beet

Plant health.

Subterranean clover and similar species

PROGRAMMES & POLICIES

Maize and sorghum

Vegetables

maintainers, seed producers, trades and

the designated authority (appointed by
the government) in each participating
country.

Objectives

The objectives of the OECD Schemes for

the varietal certification of seed are to
encourage the use of "quality-guaranteed"
seed in participating countries.

The Schemes authorize the use of labels and

certificates for seed produced and processed
for international trade according to agreed
principles ensuring identity and purity.

The Schemes facilitate the import and export

of seed, by the removal of technical trade
barriers through internationally recognized
labels (passports for trade).

They also lay down guidelines for seed

multiplication broad as well as for the
delegation of some control activities to the
private sector ("accreditation").
The quantity of seed certified through the
OECD Schemes has grown rapidly in recent
years and reached 5,90,000 tonnes in 2005-06.

How do the Seed Schemes operate?

Frequent meeting allow for a multistakeholder dialogue to exchange

information, discuss case studies, prepare
new rules and update the Schemes.

The UN family of bodies, a vast range of

non-government organizations (UPOV,
ISTA) and seed industry networks
participate actively in the Schemes.

Benefits of the Schemes

To facilitate international trade by using

globally recognized OECD labels and
certificate (e.g. they are required to export
seeds to Europe).

To build a framework to develop seed

production with countries or companies.

To participate in the elaboration of

international rules for seed certification.

To develop collaboration between the public

and private sectors.

To benefit from regular exchanges of

information with other national certification
agencies and observer organizations.

The success of international certification

depends upon close cooperation between

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PROGRAMMES & POLICIES