Strategies to Reduce Farming Costs for Increased Income

1. Interventions and strategies to reduce cost of cultivation in farming through better input management Group IV

2. Background • Aim to double income of farmers. • Need to reduce cost of cultivation. • To increase net income from each unit of farm. • Secure farmers against unpredictable nature of agriculture.

3. Interventions to reduce cost of cultivation • Reduce expenditure on Farm Inputs. (a) Seed i- use of certified seed of improved verities once in three years. ii – Production of seed through FPOs/ FPCs/Farmer’s groups/NGOs - MH/AP iii- Adoption of agronomic practices to save seed. e.g. cultivation of pulses / oilseeds on raised beds using BBF planters, dibbling of rice on raised bed (SRT), SRI and mechanical transplanting.

4. Interventions to reduce cost of cultivation • Reduce expenditure on Farm Inputs. (b) Fertilizer i- Judicious use of fertilizers based on Soil Health Card recommendations . ii – Use of neem coated urea in place of plain urea. iii- Use of Phosphorus Solubilising Bacteria (PSB) to release P from soil. iv- Adoption of fertilizer application techniques to save fertilizer. e.g. Urea+DAP brickets, BBF Planter / Seed cum Fertilizer Drill. v- use of bio-fertilizers and organic manure to reduce quantity of chemical fertilizers. vi- Promoting farmers to prepare organic manure from farm waste.

5. Interventions to reduce cost of cultivation • Reduce expenditure on Farm Inputs. (c) Pesticides i- Implement pest and disease surveillance practices effectively ii – Improvement in delivery of crop advisories related to pest /disease management iii- Use of chemical pesticides as per label claim only iv- Adoption of spraying techniques to enhance efficacy of pesticides. v- Adoption of seed treatment practices to prevent soil borne diseases vi- Use of biopesticides till the pest population is below ETL.

6. Interventions to reduce cost of cultivation • Reduce expenditure on Farm Inputs. (d) Water (More Crop per Drop) i- Adoption of in situ soil moisture conservation methods ii – Use of micro-irrigation methods to save water iii- Adoption of agronomic practices to conserve soil moisture and water applied to fields e.g. mulching of farm waste / plastic mulching. iv- Use of Hydroponics Technique for green fodder production

7. Interventions to reduce cost of cultivation • Better credit management i- Timely credit availability to farmers before crop season ii – Credit availability to small and marginal farmers on priority basis iii- Mobilize farmers’ groups for credit management iv- 3% interest subvention given by GOI in terms of short term loan – states may replicate it with additional assistance to SMF

8. Reduction in Labour Costs • Use of improved tools and farm machineries for every farm operation e.g. End to End mechanization of rice using power tiller, transplanter ,conoweeder, reaper and thresher • Mechanization reduces 25-50% of labour cost with increase in crop yield • Promotion of Custom Hiring services to reduce burden on machinery procurement • Use of weedicides

9. Reduction in Farm Risk • Adoption of intercropping systems to reduce risk to main crops due to natural factors like dry spell / moisture stress • Implementation of contingency crop plans • Buffer stocking of inputs • Promotion of PMFBY • Diversification and integrated farming system • Procurement of farm inputs through FPOs/FPCs/Farmers’ groups • Establishment of Agri-junctions - UP

10. Thanks…