Agencies/Institutions for Rural Development & Agriculture in India

1. Agencies/InstitutionsforRural Development&Agriculture in India R.K. SRIVASTAVA

2. Importance of Agriculture • Contributes around 18 % of GDP • 58.4 % of population is dependent on agriculture • Contributes 10% of the total export earnings • An all time record in production of food grains of 233.88 million tonnes is estimated in 2008-09 as per 4th Advance Estimates. This is about 13.10 million tonnes more than last year's production of food grains.

3. Various programmes • Keeping in view the importance of agriculture, Government of India has launched following programmes : • National Food Security Mission • Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojna • Agriculture Technology Management Association

4. National Food Security Mission • A Centrally Sponsored Scheme, 'National Food Security Mission', has been launched from 2007-08 comprising rice, wheat and pulses to increase the production of rice by 10 million tons, wheat by 8 million tons and pulses by 2 million tons by the end of the Eleventh Plan (2011-12)

5. Need for Food security mission • Food grain production has been stagnant while the consumption requirements are increasing • 130 crore population by 2016-17 • Food grain requirement – 240 million tonnes • It is estimated 80% of India’s population is food insecure

6. NFSM- Component • The National Food Security Mission has three components (i) National Food Security Mission - Rice (NFSM-Rice); • (ii) National Food Security Mission - Wheat (NFSM-Wheat); and • National Food Security Mission - Pulses (NFSM -Pulses)

7. Objective • Increasing production of rice, wheat and pulses through area expansion and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner in the identified districts of the country; • Restoring soil fertility and productivity at the individual farm level; • Creation of employment opportunities; and • Enhancing farm level economy (i.e. farm profits) to restore confidence amongst the farmers.

8. Area of operation • NFSM – Rice- Total States : 12 • Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal • Total districts : 133 (revised to 136 in 2009 ) • Districts from UP : 26 : Azamgarh, Badaun, Bahraich, Bareilly, Unnao, Raebareli, and Sultanpur etc.

9. Area of Operation • NFSM – Wheat- Total States : 09 • Bihar, Gujrat, Haryana,, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal • Total districts : 138 ( revised to 141 in 2009) • Districts from UP : 38 : Allahabad, Barabanki, Bareilly, Gonda, Raebareli, Sultanpur, Unnao and Varanasi etc.

10. Area of operation • NFSM – Pulses- Total States : 14 • Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Gujrat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab,Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal • Total districts : 168 ( revised to 171 in 2009) • Districts from UP : 19 – Banda, Chandauli, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur,Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpurand Mahoba etc

11. Criteria for identification of the districts • NFSM- Rice • Districts covering more than 50000 ha under rice • Productivity is less than the state average • NFSM- Wheat • Districts with sizeable area under wheat • Having irrigation facilities to a great extent • Productivity is less than nation/ state average

12. Criteria for identification of the districts • NFSM- Pulses • The districts selected based on potential for area expansion through intercropping / fallow land

13. Financial Outlay

14. Strategies • Demonstration of improved technology by establishing demonstration farms • Distribution of HYVs and hybrids • Support for micro nutrients • Training to farmers • Award for best performing districts • Promotion of SRI system • Adoption of Zero tillage cum seed drill

15. Hybrid rice • India produces 87.6 million tons rice from 42.4 million hectares on the other hand China produces 178 million tons of rice from a mere 29 million hectares. There is only one big difference; China embraced ‘hybrid rice’ technology in a big way, while India has had a slow start.

16. Hybrid rice • Hybrid rice plants are vigorous crop varieties that give a 25 per cent higher yield simply because the seeds are produced from very diverse parents. The downside is that farmers need to buy these seeds again and again every year because the progeny retained from the farmer’s own field loose `hybrid vigor’. The seeds are also expensive costing four-five times more than the normal seeds.

17. hybrid rice • India today has a mere 1.2 million hectares under hybrid rice cultivation and the seeds are mostly produced mostly in the private sector, while 54 per cent of all Chinese rice is grown using hybrid varieties amounting to about 15 million hectares and most of the seeds are produced by the public sector.

18. Implementation • At the district level, the scheme will be implemented through the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA). • Each district will prepare a Strategic Research and Extension plan for agriculture development of the district .

19. Zero Till cum seed drill

20. Zero till • The major benefits of the zero-tillage technology are in terms of saving on cost, water and time. • Farmers practising zero tillage spend much less time and energy on the crop sowing because land preparation and seeding operations are performed in a single run of the zero-tillage drills through the field. • Normally, farmers make six to eight passes through the field for ploughing, levelling and seed sowing.

21. Zero till • This helps the farmer save on diesel and labour even while allowing him to finish off with planting operation quickly. • The saving in diesel is estimated at around 36 litres per hectare for farms using tractors, lowering the overall sowing cost by up to 80 per cent. • Besides, it takes care of the need for timely planting of the wheat as the crop otherwise is subjected to heat stress towards the end of wheat- growing season which can reduce yield by 1 to 1.5 per cent per day.

22. Zero till • Even more important, from the Indian standpoint, is the beneficial effect of zero tillage on the unhealthy and environmentally - detrimental practice of burning the leftover stubbles of paddy in a hurry to plant wheat. • This generates tremendous amount of smoke, impairing the environment and causing health hazards like itching of eyes and aggravation of breathing illnesses. • Under zero tillage, farmers can plant wheat, leaving the stubbles of the previous crop intact.

23. System of rice intensification (SRI)

24. SRI • Increases production • Reduces cost

25. Progress at a glance2008-09

26. Outcome • As per the third advance estimate of 2008-09, the production of rice has raised to a level of 99.37 million tonnes thus depicting increase of 2.68 million tones when compared to 2007-08 and 6.02 million tonnes against 2006-07. • Similarly, the situation is also promising in case of wheat, wherein the production of wheat showing an increase of 2.76 million tonnes over the last year. Consequently, as per the third advance estimate of 2008-09, the production of wheat is estimated to the level of 77.63 million tonnes which is 1.82 million tonnes more that 2006-07.

27. Outcome • In case of pulses, the production was recorded at 14.20 million tonnes during 2006-07. Accordingly, as per the third advance estimate of 2008-09, the production of pulses is estimated at 14.18 million tonnes, which is almost a stagnated production trend when compared to 2006-07.

28. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) - Background • GDP growth rate during the last few years has been in the range of 8%. • The Planning Commission in its approach paper to the Eleventh Five-Year-plan has stated that 9 per cent growth rate in GDP would be feasible during the Eleventh Plan period. • Agriculture has not been able to keep pace with GDP growth. ( Growth rate –2%).

29. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna • The declining investment by state governments in the field of agriculture and allied sectors has been identified as one of the main reasons for slow growth of agriculture. • The Government of India , decided to introduce a new scheme for incentivising the state governments , who will at least maintain their budgetary allocations in percentage terms for agriculture and allied activitites.

30. RKVY (contd..) • Introduce a new Additional Central Assistance scheme to incentivise States to draw up plans for their agriculture sector comprehensively, taking agro-climatic conditions, natural resource issues and technology into account, and integrating livestock, poultry and fisheries more fully.

31. Objective • The RKVY aims at achieving 4% annual growth in the agriculture sector during the XI Plan period by ensuring holistic development of Agriculture and allied sectors. The main objectives of the scheme are : • To incentivise the states for increasing public investment in Agri & allied sectors. • To provide flexibility & autonomy to states in the process of planning and executing Agriculture and allied sector schemes. • To ensure the preparation of agriculture plans for the districts and the states based on agro-climatic conditions, availability of technology and natural resources.

32. Contd… • To ensure that the local needs /crops /priorities are better reflected in the agricultural plans of the states. • To achieve the goal of reducing the yield gaps in important crops, through focussed interventions. • To maximize returns to the farmers in Agriculture and allied sectors. • To bring about quantifiable changes in the production and productivity of various components of Agriculture and allied sectors by addressing them in a holistic manner.

33. Implementation mechanism • RKVY seeks to encourage convergence with schemes like MNREGS, SGSY, BRGF etc. • Each district to prepare a Comprehensive District Agriculture plan • These plans would present a vision of development of agriculture and also allied activities, financial requirements and sources for financing these plans.

34. Implementation mechanism • These CDAPs are to be consolidated into state action plans. • These state action plans would be approved by Deapartment of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC) and Planning Commission. • The districts are required to prepare a shelf of projects for posing to SLSC under stream-I.

35. Implementation mechanisam • Each state would constitute State level Sanctioning Committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary. • SLSC would sanction projects relating to stream-1. • Projects in key activities identified to take care of unique requirements. • Stream -2 conventional projects- sanctioned by Planning commission.

36. Areas of focus-key activities • Integrated development of major food crops such as wheat, paddy, coarse cereals, pulses, oilseeds • Agriculture mechanisation • Activities relating to soil health enhancements • Development of rainfed farming

37. Areas of focus • Support to state seed farms. • Integrated pest management schemes. • Encouraging non-farm activities. • Strengthening of market infrastructure and marketing development. • Animal husbandry and fisheries • Study tour of farmers,etc.

38. Area and Production of Horticulture crops

39. National Horticulture Board (NHB) - Background • National Horticulture Board (NHB) was set up by the Government of India in 1984 as an autonomous society under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

40. Mandate • to promote integrated development in horticulture, • to help in coordinating , stimulating and sustaining the production and processing of fruits and vegetables and • to establish a sound infrastructure in the field of production, processing and marketing with a focus on post harvest management to reduce losses.

41. Objective • Develop high quality horticultural farms in identified belts and make such areas vibrant with horticultural activity which in turn will act as hubs for developing commercial horticulture • Strengthen Market Information System and horticulture database • Develop post harvest management structure

42. Objective • Assist R&D programmes to develop products suited for specific varieties with improved methods and horticulture technology • Provide training and education to farmers and processing industry personnel for improving agronomic practices and new technologies. • Promote consumption of fruits / vegetables in fresh & processed form.

43. Organisational structure • Board of directors- Union Ag Minister- President and union State Ag Minister –Vice President • Management Committee • Has net work all over India – in each state • Bigger states like UP, Maharashtra have 4-5 offices

44. Schemes of NHB • Development of commercial Horticulture through Production and Post-Harvest Management • Capital Investment Subsidy for Construction / Modernization Expansion of Cold Storage and Storage's for Horticulture Produce

45. Schemes of NHB • Technology Development and Transfer for Promotion of Horticulture • Market Information Services for Horticulture Crops • Horticulture Promotion Services (including terms of reference for Techno-economic Feasibility Study )

46. Development of commercial Horticulture through Production and Post-Harvest Management • To develop high quality horticultural farms in identified belts and make such areas vibrant with horticultural activity which in turn will act as hubs for developing commercial horticulture by adopting high-tech horticulture techniques; • To develop post-harvest management infrastructure;

47. Objectives • To improve linkages between horticulture producers and marketers; • To create integrated network for marketing of horticulture produce; • To increase producer’s share in consumer price;

48. Components covered • Production related • High quality commercial horticulture crops • Indigenous crops/ produce, herbs • Aromatic plants • Seed & Nursery • Bio-technology, Tissue culture • Bio-pesticides • Organic Foods • Establishment of Horti. Health clinics /labs • Consultancy services • Beekeeping

49. Eligible Organisation • NGO’s, Association of Growers, Individuals, Partnership /Proprietary Firms Companies, Corporations, Cooperatives, APMCs, Marketing Boards/ Committees, Municipal Corporations/ Committees, Agro-Industries Corporations, SAU’s and other concerned R&D organizations.

50. PHM/Primary Processing related • Grading/packing/washing/waxing/sorting/drying centres • Pre-cooling unit/Cool Stores • Reefer Van/Containers (with multi-chamber, multi-product facility) • Specialised Transport Vehicle • Retail outlets • Auction platform • Ripening/curing chamber • Market yards/rope ways • Radiation /Dehydration /Vapour Heat Treatment Unit • Primary processing of products fermentation, extraction, distillation, juice vending pulping, dressing, cutting, chopping etc. • Horticulture ancillary industry e.g. tools, plastics, equipment’s, packaging, etc.