This document discusses several key agricultural developmental programmes and policies in India, including the National Food Security Mission, National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture, National Mission on Oilseeds & Oil Palm, National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology, Mission of Integrated Development of Horticulture, National Crop Insurance Scheme, and Integrated Scheme on Agriculture Marketing. The overall goal of these programmes and policies is to promote sustainable agricultural development in India through initiatives such as increasing crop yields, expanding cultivation, improving market access for farmers, and providing crop insurance.

1. Agricultural Developmental Programmes and
Policies
SUBMITTED TO: DR. RAJSHREE UPADHYAY
HOD & PROFESSOR
SUBMITTED BY: NEHA GOSWAMI
PhD RESEARCH SCHOLAR
EECM DEPT.

2. CONTENT
• Introduction
• Agricultural developmental programmes
• Agricultural policies
• Indian agriculture scenario 2017
• Conclusion

3. INTRODUCTION
• Total geographic area =328.73 Mha
• Net sown area= 41.10 Mha
• Area sown more than once= 4.84 Mha
• Gross cropped area= 187.94 Mha
• Cultivable waste land= 13.66 Mha
• Net irrigated area= 54.68 Mha
• Gross irrigated area= 75.14 Mha
• Cropping intensity= 133.20
• Total agricultural workers= 234.10 million
www.mospi.gov.in/statistical-year-book-india/2017

4. www.fao.org.in

6. Strategies for Agricultural Development
• Raising Yield Level in Low Productivity Area
• Cultivation of Waste and Fallow Lands
• Bridging the Yield Gap
• Raising Productivity of Rainfed Crops
• Integrated Nutrient Water and Pest and Disease
Management
• Eco-regional Approach
• Availing Export Potential

7. National Food
Security Mission
• launched in October 2007
OBJECTIVE
• Cluster Demonstrations– test beds for demonstrations are being set up
on improved package and cropping systems.
• Seed Distribution– Distribution of high-yielding varieties and hybrid
seeds at subsidized costs.
• Farm Machineries– Distribution of farm equipment and tools at
subsidized costs.
• Plant Protection– Subsidized distribution of plant protection chemicals
and bio-pesticides; weedicides.
• Micro-Nutrients and Soil Ameliorants– Distribution of subsidized
micro-nutrients, lime/ liming materials, etc.
• Local Initiatives– 5% of total state allocation will be allocated for
funding on project basis, and setting up of project management teams
at State and District levels.

8. Priority crops Total fund
(lakhs)
Centre & state
ratio
Center share State share
Rice 39,277.78 60:40 26,000 13,277.78
Wheat 18,333.33 60:40 11,500 6,833.33
Pulses 1,37,111.11 60:40 85,000 52,111.11
Coarse cereals 21,555.56 60:40 14,500 7055.56
Commercial
crops
3,845.11 60:40 2,500 1,345.11
The Priority Crops and Center-State Funding Budget for 2017-18 is as
Follows:

9. Challenges before the Government
The biggest threat to the success of NFSM is the “high dependence of farmers on
monsoon rains”. This has increased the risk and financial stress for farmers and the
Only ways to overcome this and step up food production are:
• To increase agricultural land under irrigation
• Develop water catchment areas
• Improve water management and conservation through innovative use of technology
• Encourage farmers to adopt ‘More Crop Per Drop’ techniques
• Subsidized distribution of high-yielding/ hybrid seeds
• Develop more productive and low-cost farming equipment and tools
• Make more electricity available to farmers and at subsidized rates
• Encourage higher adoption of crop insurance by farmers
• Step up bank financing at subsidized rates
• Increase farmer education and training by leveraging IT and telecom.

10. National Mission on
Sustainable Agriculture
OBJECTIVE:
• To make agriculture more productive, sustainable, remunerative and climate resilient by
promoting location specific Integrated/Composite Farming Systems;
• To conserve natural resources through appropriate soil and moisture conservation measures;
• To adopt comprehensive soil health management practices based on soil fertility maps, soil test
based application of macro & micro nutrients, judicious use of fertilizers etc.;
• To optimize utilization of water resources through efficient water management to expand
coverage for achieving ‘more crop per drop’;
• To develop capacity of farmers & stakeholders, in conjunction with other ongoing Missions e.g.
National Mission on Agriculture Extension & Technology, National Food Security Mission,
National Initiative for Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) etc., in the domain of climate
change adaptation and mitigation measures;
• To pilot models in select blocks for improving productivity of rainfed farming by mainstreaming
rainfed technologies refined through NICRA and by leveraging resources from other schemes like
MGNREGS, Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), RKVY etc.;
• To establish an effective inter and intra Departmental/Ministerial co-ordination for accomplishing
key deliverables of NMSA under the aegis of National action plan on climate change (NAPCC )

11. Focus areas of NMSA
The core focus areas for NMSA include:
 Dry land Agriculture,
 Risk Management,
 Access to Information and
 Use of Biotechnology.
Here are some issues in this mission:
• Most of the proposed strategies target the big farmers, while the small and
marginal farmers are left vulnerable.
• Water use efficiency has been given importance but the chemical fertilisers
have been largely ignored in the strategies.
• Chemical fertilizers are also a major driver of rising demand for irrigation
water.
• NMSA lacks adequate regulatory framework required to meet climate
change related challenges to agriculture.

12. National Mission on
Oil seeds & Oil Palm
• The Mission aims to expand area under oilseeds, harness the potential in the area/ districts
of low productivity, strengthening inputs delivery mechanism, strengthening of post
harvest services besides a focus on tribal areas for tree bourn oilseeds. Current
Government is promoting National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP) during
2012-17.
OBJECTIVE
• Increasing Seed Replacement Ratio (SRR) in oil crops with focus on Varietal
Replacement;
• Increasing irrigation coverage under oilseeds from 26% to 36%;
• Diversification of area from low yielding cereals crops to oilseeds crops; inter-cropping of
oilseeds with cereals/ pulses/ sugarcane;
• Use of fallow land after paddy /potato cultivation;
• Expansion of cultivation of Oil Palm and tree borne oilseeds in watersheds and
wastelands;
• Increasing availability of quality planting material enhancing procurement of oilseeds and
collection; and
• Processing of tree borne oilseeds.
• Inter-cropping during gestation period of oil palm and tree borne oilseeds would provide
economic return to the farmers when there is no production.

13. There are three mini missions in this scheme
• The Mini Mission I, on oilseeds, aims at increasing production from 28.93
million tones during 11th Plan to 35.51 million tones in 12th Plan. The
productivity will rise from 1081 kg/ha during the 11th Plan period to 1328
kg/ha of oilseeds during 12th Plan period.
• Mini Mission II, on oil palm, aims at bringing additional 1.25 lakh hectare
area under oil palm cultivation through area expansion. Wastelands will
also be utilized for this purpose. The mini-mission seeks to increase
productivity of fresh fruit brunches from 4927 kg per ha to 15000 kg per
ha.
• Mini Mission III, on tree-borne oilseed (TBOs), aims at enhancing seed
collection of TBOs from 9 lakh tones to 14 lakh tones.

14. National Mission on
Agricultural Extension &
Technology
• Aims to disseminate information and knowledge to the farming community
in local language/ dialect in respect of agricultural schemes.
• Agricultural Technology, including the adoption/ promotion of critical
inputs, and improved agronomic practices were being disseminated under
17 different schemes of the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation,
Ministry of Agriculture during the 11th Plan period.
• The Modified Extension Reforms Scheme was introduced in 2010 with the
objective of strengthening extension machinery and utilizing it for
synergizing interventions under these schemes under the umbrella of the
Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA).
• The National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology (NMAET)
has been envisaged as the next step towards this objective through the
amalgamation of these schemes.

15. OBJECTIVE:
• The objective of the Scheme is to make the extension system farmer-driven and
farmer-accountable by way of new institutional arrangements for technology
dissemination.
• It aims to restructure and strengthen agricultural extension to enable delivery of
appropriate technology and improved agronomic practices to farmers.
Sub Missions of NMAET
• Sub Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE)
• Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
• Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)
• Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine (SMPP)
Outlay during 12th plan period
• The Mission will have a total outlay of Rs. 13073.08 crore, with Government of
India’s share of Rs. 11390.68 crore and State share of Rs.1682.40 crore.

16. Mission of Integrated
Development of
Horticulture
• MIDH is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the holistic growth of the horticulture
sector covering fruits, vegetables, root & tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers,
aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo.
• While GOI contributes 85% of total outlay for developmental programmes in all the
states except the states in North East and Himalayas, 15% share is contributed by
State Governments.
• In the case of North Eastern States and Himalayan States, GOI contribution is
100%.
• Similarly, for development of bamboo and programmes of National Horticulture
Board (NHB), Coconut Development Board (CDB), Central Institute for
Horticulture (CIH), Nagaland and the National Level Agencies (NLA), GOI
contribution will be 100%.

17. OBJECTIVE:
• Promote holistic growth of horticulture sector, including bamboo and
coconut through area based regionally differentiated strategies, which
includes research, technology promotion, extension, post harvest
management, processing and marketing, in consonance with comparative
advantage of each State/region and its diverse agro-climatic features;
• Encourage aggregation of farmers into farmer groups like FIGs/FPOs and
FPCs to bring economy of scale and scope.
• Enhance horticulture production, augment farmers, income and strengthen
nutritional security;
• Improve productivity by way of quality germ-plasm, planting material and
water use efficiency through Micro Irrigation.
• Support skill development and create employment generation opportunities
for rural youth in horticulture and post harvest management, especially in
the cold chain sector.

18. Activities for which Financial Assistance is
Provided
• Setting up of nurseries, tissue culture units
for production of quality seed and planting
material.
• Area expansion i.e. Establishment of new
orchards and gardens for fruits, vegetables,
and flowers. · Rejuvenation of
unproductive, old, and senile orchards.
• Protected cultivation, i.e. poly-house,
green-house, etc, to improve the
productivity & grow off season high value
vegetables and flowers.
• Organic farming and certification.
• Creation of water resources structures and
watershed management.
• Bee-keeping for pollination.
• Horticulture Mechanization.
• Creation of Post Harvest Management and
Marketing infrastructure.

19. National Crop
Insurance Scheme
Agricultural Insurance in India is covered by “National Crop Insurance Programme”
which was launched by UPA government in 2013 by merging three schemes viz.
Modified National Agricultural insurance Scheme (MNAIS), Weather Based Crop
insurance Scheme (WBCIS) and Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme (CPIS).
OBJECTIVE:
• The Scheme aims to provide insurance coverage and financial support to the
farmers in the event of crops failure as a result of natural calamities, pests and
diseases as also to encourage farmers to adopt progressive farming practices, high
value inputs and higher technology in agriculture.
What is MNAIS?
It is a component of National Crop Insurance Programme (NCIP) and it provides
insurance coverage and financial support to the farmers in the event of failure of crops
and subsequent low crop yield.

20. :
• actuarial premium rates are charged with a provision of subsidy up-to 75%, which is
shared by the Central and State Governments on 50 : 50 basis;
• entire liability of claims is on the implementing insurance companies;
• it is compulsory for loanee farmers and optional for non-loanee farmers;
• risk coverage for pre-sowing/prevented sowing and post harvest losses due to
cyclone in coastal areas;
• on account payment up to 25% advance of likely claims as immediate relief in the
areas which suffered at least 50% crop yield loss;
• more proficient basis for calculation of threshold yield;
• two higher indemnity levels of 80% & 90% instead of earlier 70%, 80% & 90%;
• reduction in Unit Area of Insurance to village/ village Panchayat level; and
• private insurance companies have been involved to provide the benefits of
competition.
SALIENT FEATURES

21. What is WBCIS
• It is also a component of NCIP
• It provides insurance coverage and financial
support to the farmers in the event of failure of
crops due to Adverse Weather Incidence.
• WBCIS claims is also available to farmers
who do not insure their crops under MNAIS
but whose crops are damaged due to Adverse
Weather Incidence.
• Under WBCIS, “Area Approach” is followed
i.e. a ‘Reference Unit Area (RUA)’ is defined
by state government as a homogeneous unit of
Insurance.
What are the major differences between
MNAIS and WBCIS ?
• WBCIS insures loss due to weather incidents
while MNAIS insures drop in crop yield to
any reason.
• MNAIS benefits is given to only farmers who
has insured their crops while WBCIS is based
on area approach and its benefit is available to
all farmers.

22. Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme (CPIS)
• Individual farmer/planter/grower offering at-least 5 healthy nut bearing
palms in a contiguous area/plot is eligible for insurance;
• Provide coverage against total loss of palm on account of happening of
peril insured leading to death of the insured palm or its becoming
unproductive;
• Fixed premium rates ranging from Rs. 9/- to Rs. 14/- per palm depending
upon the age of palm. However, Government is providing subsidy up to
50% by GOI and 25% by State Government;
• Sum insured per palm is ranging from Rs. 900/- to Rs. 1750/-;
• Scheme is being implemented by Agriculture Insurance Company (AIC).

23. Integrated Scheme on Agriculture
Marketing
The GOI on 13th November, 2013 approved the proposal of Department of Agriculture
& Cooperation for continuation and integration of on-going Central Sector Schemes as
Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) during the XII Plan.
ISAM will have the following five sub
schemes:
•Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI)
•Marketing Research and Information
Network (MRIN)
•Strengthening of Agmark Grading Facilities
(SAGF),
•Agribusiness Development (ABD) through
Venture Capital Assistance (VCA) and
Project Development Facility (PDF) and
•Choudhary Charan Singh National Institute
of Agriculture Marketing (NIAM).

24. OBJECTIVE
• To promote creation of agricultural marketing infrastructure by providing backend
subsidy support to State, cooperative and private sector investments.
• To promote creation of scientific storage capacity and to promote pledge financing to
increase farmers’ income.
• To promote Integrated Value Chains (confined up to the stage of primary processing
only) to provide vertical integration of farmers with primary processors.
• To use ICT as a vehicle of extension to sensitize and orient farmers to respond to new
challenges in agricultural marketing.
• To establish a nation-wide information network system for speedy collection and
dissemination of market information and data on arrivals and prices for its efficient
and timely utilization by farmers and other stake holders.
• To support framing of grade standards and quality certification of agricultural
commodities to help farmers get better and remunerative prices for their graded
produce.
• To catalyze private investment in setting up of agribusiness projects and thereby
provide assured market to producers and strengthen backward linkages of
agribusiness projects with producers and their groups.
• To undertake and promote training, research, education, extension and consultancy in
the agri marketing sector.

25. OTHER PROGRAMMES
e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)
• NAM is a pan-India electronic trading portal which networks the existing
Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) mandis to create a unified
national market for agricultural commodities.
• The NAM Portal provides a single window service for all APMC related
information and services.
• This includes commodity arrivals & prices, buy & sell trade offers, provision to
respond to trade offers, among other services.
• While material flow (agriculture produce) continue to happen through mandis, an
online market reduces transaction costs and information asymmetry.
• NAM creating a unified market through online trading platform, both, at State and
National level and promotes uniformity, streamlining of procedures across the
integrated markets, removes information asymmetry between buyers and sellers and
promotes real time price discovery, based on actual demand and supply, promotes
transparency in auction process, and access to a nationwide market for the farmer,
with prices commensurate with quality of his produce and online payment and
availability of better quality produce and at more reasonable prices to the consumer.

26. IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
• NAM is being deployed in selected 585
regulated wholesale markets in States/UTs
desirous of joining the e-platform.
• Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium
(SFAC) is operating the NAM as the
implementing agency with technical
support from the Strategic Partner (SP).
• To facilitate assaying of commodities for
trading on NAM, common tradable
parameters have been developed for 90
commodities (Navigate to ‘Commodity
Quality Planner’).
• 470 Mandis across 14 States are live on e-
NAM as on 31st Oct 2017. A.P, Haryana,
Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Tamilnadu,
Uttarakhand, U.P, Telangana, Rajasthan,
Odisha, Maharashtra, M.P, Jharkhand, H.P.

27. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas
Yojana
OBJECTIVE:
• Organic agriculture is a production of agricultural products free from chemicals and
pesticides residues by adopting eco friendly low cost technologies “PKVY” is an
elaborated component of Soil Health Management (SHM) of National Mission of
Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). Under PKVY, Organic farming is promoted
through adoption of organic village by cluster approach and PGS certification.
Programme Implementation
• Groups of farmers would be motivated to take up organic farming under (PKVY).
• Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster having 50 acre land to take up the organic
farming under the scheme. In this way during three years 10,000 clusters will be
formed covering 5.0 lakh acre area under organic farming.
• There will be no liability on the farmers for expenditure on certification.
• Every farmer will be provided Rs. 20,000 per acre in three years for seed to
harvesting of crops and to transport produce to the market.
• Organic farming will be promoted by using traditional resources and the organic
products will be linked with the market.
• It will increase domestic production and certification of organic produce by
involving farmers.

28. Organic Area Selection Criteria:
a) The cluster chosen for Organic Farming shall be 50 acres in extent and in as
contiguous a form as possible. In order to facilitate this, the ceiling of
subsidy that a farmer is eligible shall be a maximum of one hectare and the
total financial assistance eligible for a 50 acre cluster shall be a maximum
of Rs. 10 (Ten) lakhs for farmer members and Rs. 4.95 lakh for
mobilization and PGS Certification. Of the total number of farmers in a
cluster, a minimum of 65% and marginal farmer should belong to the small
categories. Thus minimum criteria of inclusion should as far as practicable
be fulfilled at cluster level and where not possible, it should be satisfied at
Mandal/Block/Taluka or District level.
b) Organic Farming shall be promoted in such areas like hilly, tribal and also
rainfed areas where utilization of chemical fertilizers and Pesticide is less.

29. Pradhan Mantri Krishi
Sinchayee Yojana
• PMKSY has been formulated with the vision of extending the coverage of irrigation
‘Har Khet Ko Pani’ and improving water use efficiency ‘More crop per drop’ in a
focused manner with end to end solution on source creation, distribution, management,
field application and extension activities.
Details of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana
• According to current estimates, out of the 142 million hectares of agricultural land in
India, only about 45 per cent has any arrangement for artificial irrigation. The rest of the
agricultural farm is dependent solely on rainfall for its water needs. A delay in rainfall
or a failure spells disaster for the farmers and shortfall in crop is the subsequent worry
faced by the people.
• The GOI estimates that by spending about INR 5300 crore this fiscal, an additional 6
lakh hectares of agricultural land can be brought under irrigation. Micro-irrigation
projects (“Har Khet Ko Pani”) and end-to-end irrigation solutions will be the key focus
of this scheme.
• The scheme shall also assume responsibility for various irrigation projects that were
poorly implemented by previous governments despite adequacy of funds. These
projects shall be improved based on strict quality guidelines. About 1,300 watershed
projects that have remained in limbo shall now be completed.

30. AGRICULTURAL POLICIES
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Food & Nutritional
Security
• Generation & Transfer
of Technology
• Inputs Management
• Incentives for
Agriculture
• Risk Management
• Management Reforms

31. SUSTAINABLE
AGRICULTURE
• The policy will seek to promote technically sound, economically viable,
environmentally non-degrading, and socially acceptable use of country’s natural
resources to promote sustainable development of agriculture.
• Particular attention will be given for increasing cropping intensity through multiple-
cropping and inter-cropping.
• Special attention will be focused on water quality and the problem of receding ground-
water levels in certain areas as a result of over-exploitation of underground aquifers.
• The use of bio-technologies will be promoted for evolving plants which consume less
water, are drought resistant, pest resistant, contain more nutrition, give higher yields
and are environmentally safe.
• Conservation of bio-resources through their ex situ preservation in Gene Banks, as
also in situ conservation in their natural habitats through bio-diversity parks, etc., will
receive a high priority to prevent their extinction.
• Specific measures will also be taken to conserve indigenous breeds facing extinction.

32. • Sensitization of the farming community with the environmental concerns will
receive high priority. Balanced and conjunctive use of bio-mass, organic and
inorganic fertilizers and controlled use of agro chemicals through integrated
nutrients and pest will be promoted to achieve the sustainable increases in
agricultural production.
• A nation-wide programme for utilization of rural and urban garbage, farm residues
and organic waste for organic matter repletion and pollution control will be worked
out.
• Agro-forestry will receive a major thrust for efficient nutrient cycling, nitrogen
fixation, organic matter addition and for improving drainage. Farmers will be
encouraged to take up farm/agro-forestry for higher income generation by evolving
technology, extension and credit support packages and removing constraints to
development of agro and farm forestry.
• The history and traditional knowledge of agriculture, particularly of tribal
communities, relating to organic farming and preservation and processing of food
for nutritional and medicinal purposes is one of the oldest in the world.
• Concerted efforts will be made to pool, distil and evaluate traditional practices,
knowledge and wisdom and to harness them for sustainable agricultural growth.

33. Food & Nutritional
Security
• Special efforts will be made to raise the productivity and production of crops to
meet the increasing demand for food generated by unabated demographic pressures
and raw materials for expanding agro-based industries.
• Special attention will be given to development of new crop varieties, particularly of
food crops, with higher nutritional value through adoption of bio-technology
particularly genetic modification, while addressing bio-safety concerns.
• A major thrust will be given to development of rainfed and irrigated horticulture,
floriculture, roots and tubers, plantation crops, aromatic and medicinal plants, bee-
keeping and sericulture, for augmenting food supply, exports and generating
employment in rural areas.
• Availability of hybrid seeds and disease-free planting materials of improved
varieties, supported by a network of regional nurseries, tissue culture laboratories,
seed farms will be promoted to support systematic development of horticulture
having emphasis on increased production, post-harvest management, precision
farming, bio-control of pests and quality regulation mechanism and exports.

34. • Development of animal husbandry, poultry, dairying and aqua-culture will receive a
high priority in the efforts for diversifying agriculture, increasing animal protein
availability in the food basket and for generating exportable surpluses.
• A national livestock breeding strategy will be evolved to meet the requirements of
milk, meat, egg and livestock products and to enhance the role of draught animals
as a source of energy for farming operations and transport.
• Major thrust will be on genetic upgradation of indigenous/native cattle and
buffaloes using proven semen and high quality pedigreed bulls and by expanding
artificial insemination network to provide services at the farmer’s doorstep.
• Generation and dissemination of appropriate technologies in the field of animal
production as also health care to enhance production and productivity levels will be
given greater attention.
• Cultivation of fodder crops and fodder trees will be encouraged to meet the feed
and fodder requirements and to improve animal nutrition and welfare.
• Priority will also be given to improve the processing, marketing and transport
facilities, with emphasis on modernization of abattoirs, carcass utilization and value
addition thereon.
• Incentives for livestock and fisheries production activities will be brought at par
with incentives for crop production.

35. Generation & Transfer of
Technology
• The regionalization of agricultural research, based on identified agro-climatic zones, will be
accorded high priority.
• Application of frontier sciences like bio-technology, remote sensing technologies, pre and post-
harvest technologies, energy saving technologies, technology for environmental protection
through national research system as well as proprietary research will be encouraged.
• Upgradation of agricultural education and its orientation towards uniformity in education
standards, women empowerment, user-orientation, vocationalization and promotion of excellence
will be the hallmark of the new policy.
• The research and extension linkages will be strengthened to improve quality and effectiveness of
research and extension system. Innovative and decentralized institutional changes will be
introduced to make the extension system farmer-responsible and farmer-accountable.
• Role of KVKs, NGOs, Farmers Organizations, Cooperatives, corporate sector and para-
technicians in agricultural extension will be encouraged for organizing demand-driven production
systems.
• Mainstreaming gender concerns in agriculture will receive particular attention. Appropriate
structural, functional and institutional measures will be initiated to empower women and build
their capabilities and improve their access to inputs, technology and other farming resources.

36. Input Management
• Adequate and timely supply of quality inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, plant protection chemicals,
bio-pesticides, agricultural machinery and credit at reasonable rates to farmers will be the
endeavour of the Government.
• Soil testing and quality testing of fertilisers and seeds will be ensured and supply of spurious
inputs will be checked.
• Development, production and distribution of improved varieties of seeds and planting materials
and strengthening and expansion of seed and plant certification system with private sector
participation will receive a high priority.
• A National Seed Grid will be established to ensure supply of seeds especially to areas affected by
natural calamities. The National Seeds Corporation (NSC) and State Farms Corporation of India
(SFCI) will be restructured for efficient utilization of investment and manpower.
• The farmers allowed their traditional rights to save, use, exchange, share and sell their farm saved
seeds except as branded seeds of protected varieties for commercial purpose. The interests of the
researchers will also be safeguarded in carrying out research on proprietary varieties to develop
new varieties.
• Integrated pest management and use of biotic agents in order to minimize the indiscriminate and
injudicious use of chemical pesticides will be the cardinal principle covering plant protection.
• Selective and eco-friendly farm mechanization through appropriate technology will be promoted,
with special reference to rainfed farming to reduce arduous work and to make agriculture efficient
and competitive as also to increase crop productivity.

37. Incentives for Agriculture
• The Government will endeavour to create a favourable economic environment for
increasing capital formation and farmer’s own investments by removal of
distortions in the incentive regime for agriculture, improving the terms of trade with
manufacturing sectors and bringing about external and domestic market reforms
backed by rationalization of domestic tax structure.
• Apart from price competition, other aspects of marketing such as quality, choice,
health and bio-safety will be promoted. Exports of horticultural produce and marine
products will receive particular emphasis.
• A two-fold long term strategy of diversification of agricultural produce and value
addition enabling the production system to respond to external environment and
creating export demand for the commodities produced in the country will be
evolved with a view to providing the farmers incremental income from export
earnings.
• A favourable economic environment and supportive public management system will
be created for promotion of agricultural exports.

38. • The domestic agricultural market will be liberalized and all controls and regulations
hindering increase in farmers’ income will be reviewed and abolished to ensure that
agriculturists receive prices commensurate with their efforts, investment.
• Restrictions on the movement of agricultural commodities throughout the country
will be progressively dismantled.
• The excise duty on materials such as farm machinery and implements, fertilizers,
etc., used as inputs in agricultural production, post harvest storage and processing
will be reviewed.
• Appropriate measures will be adopted to ensure that agriculturists by and large
remain outside the regulatory and tax collection systems.
• Farmers will be exempted from payment of capital gains tax on compulsory
acquisition of agricultural land.

39. Risk Management
• Despite technological and economic advancements, the condition of farmers continues to be
unstable due to natural calamities and price fluctuations.
• National Agriculture Insurance Scheme covering all farmers and all crops for insulating farmers
from financial distress caused by natural disasters and making agriculture financially viable will be
made more farmer-specific and effective.
• Endeavour will be made to provide a package insurance policy for farmers, right from sowing of
crops to post-harvest operations, including market fluctuations in the prices of agricultural produce.
• In order to reduce risk, contingency agriculture planning, development of drought and flood
resistant crop varieties, watershed development programmes, drought prone areas and desert
development programmes and rural infrastructure development programmes, will receive particular
attention.
• The Central Government will continue to discharge its responsibility to ensure remunerative prices
for agricultural produce through announcement of Minimum Support Prices policy for major
agricultural commodities.
• The price structure of both inputs and outputs will be monitored to ensure higher returns to the
farmers and bring about cost effectiveness throughout the economy. Domestic market prices will be
closely monitored to prevent distress sales by farmers.
• Public and cooperative agencies undertaking marketing operations, will be strengthened.
• The Government will enlarge the coverage of futures markets to minimize the wide fluctuations in
commodity prices as also for hedging their risks.

40. Management Reforms
• The Government will focus on quality aspects at all stages of farm operations from sowing to
primary processing. The quality of inputs and other support services to farmers will be
improved.
• Quality consciousness amongst farmers and agro-processors will be created. Grading and
standardization of agricultural products will be promoted for export enhancement.
• Application of science and technology in agriculture will be promoted through a regular
system of interface between S&T institutions and users/potential users, to make the sector
globally competitive.
• The database for agriculture sector will be strengthened to ensure greater reliability of
estimates and forecasting which will help in the process of planning and policy making.
• Efforts will be made to significantly improve and harness latest remote sensing and
information technology to capture data, collate it, add value and disseminate it to appropriate
destinations for managing the risk and in accelerating the growth process.
• The objective will be to engage in a meaningful continuous dialogue with the external
environment in the changing scenario and to have on-line and real time system of ‘Agriculture
on-line’ capacity to analyze signals emanating from the farms and markets for the benefit of
farmers.

41. INDIAN AGRICULTURE SCENARIO 2017
• The Agriculture Ministry’s third advance estimates of major crops pegged the
production at 273.38 million tonnes, 0.51% higher than the second advance
estimate.
• New Central Sector Scheme – SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing
and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) for the period 2016-20 coterminous
with the 14th Finance Commission cycle.
• SAMPADA with an allocation of Rs. 6,000 crore is expected to leverage investment
of Rs. 31,400 crore, handling of 334 lakh MT agro-produce valuing Rs. 1,04,125
crore, benefit 20 lakh farmers and generate 5,30,500 direct/ indirect employment in
the country by the year 2019-20.
• India’s milk production will grow 49% over the next decade, making the country
the world’s largest milk producer by 2026, says a report by the United Nations and
OECD.

42. Items Production
(tonnes)
Percent high from
previous year (%)
Total Horticulture products 286 million 2
Vegetables 169 million 1.5
Fruits 90 million 1
Spices 7 million 14
Onion 209 lakh 11
Potato 434 lakh 10
tomato 187 lakh 15
•Among states, tops the list with an estimated horticulture production of 37
million tonnes followed by West Bengal (27.5 million tonnes), Gujarat (23.4 million
tonnes) and Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra ( 20.7 million tonnes each).
The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released
the Final Estimates: 2015-16 and First Advance Estimates of 2016-17, of area and
production of horticulture crops.

43.  Smart Farming: represents the application of modern Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT) into agriculture, leading to what can be
called a Third Green Revolution.
 Indian Seed Congress – 2017 in Kolkata
• The theme of Seed Congress was “Seed of Joy” which is very much in line
with vision of this government to bring happiness and prosperity in the lives of
farmers by doubling their farm income by 2022.
 Rashtriya Gokul Mission Aims to Conserve and Develop Indigenous
Breeds
• development and conservation of indigenous breeds
• undertake breed improvement programme for indigenous cattle breeds so as to
improve the genetic makeup and increase the stock;
• enhance milk production and productivity;
• upgrade nondescript cattle using elite indigenous breeds like Gir, Sahiwal,
Rathi, Deoni, Tharparkar, Red Sindhi and
• distribute disease free high genetic merit bulls for natural service.

44. Gokul Gram Project launched at Mathura on 26 September, 2016
• The Agriculture Minister laid foundation stone of first Gokul Gram Project in Mathura.
• Government has prepared a plan to establish 14 Gokul Gram in the country under Gokul
Mission.
• The first Gokul Gram is going to be established in Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay’s birth
place, Mathura.
• Gokul Gram will work as a centre for development of native breed cattle and it will work
to supplement resources of cattle of farmers in breeding areas.
• Earlier the Agriculture Minister inaugurated a waste sewage water treatment plant in
Mathura. This plant has developed a unique indigenous technique facility for treatment
& recycle of sewage water into irrigation water by Indian Council of Agricultural
Research.
Govt starts work on 99 stalled irrigation projects
• These projects are expected to bring 7.6 million hectares under irrigation in drought-
prone areas. Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation announced the release of first installment of Rs. 1500 crore to the states as
central assistance for 99 prioritized irrigation projects under Accelerated Irrigation
Benefits Program (AIBP).
• This amount has been released for 50 projects in the states of Gujarat, Karnataka,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan and Telangana.

45. Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav (MGMG)
• The “Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav” has been conceptualized in which scientists of ICAR and
Agricultural Universities will identify villages in the vicinity of the Institutions for providing
advisories and consultations to farmers for increasing farm productivity and production.
• The new mandate has been extended to about 6,000 scientists functioning at the various
centres and institutes of the ICAR and over 15,000 scientists working with SAUs under a
programme called MGMG launched by Modi at Patna on July 25, 2015.
• The scheme envisages scientists to select villages as per their convenience and remain in
touch with the selected villages and provide information to the farmers on technical and other
related aspects in a time frame through personal visits or on telephone.
• Groups of four multidisciplinary scientists each will be constituted at these institutes and
universities.
• Each group will “adopt” five villages within a radius of maximum 100 km.
• A benchmark report will have to be prepared by them about farming, climate, and social and
economic conditions of the selected villages.
• The scheme says the scientists may perform the functions with the help of KVKs and ATMA,
both already mandated with extension of technology.
• At national level, assistant director general (agricultural extension)/principal scientist,
Division of Agricultural Extension, ICAR, will be the nodal officer.

46. CONCLUSION
• As greater attention is given to agriculture, there is also recognition that a
new paradigm has emerged regarding the functions of agriculture for
development, beyond serving as an instrument for industrialization through
successful structural transformations.
• The low productivity in Indian agricultural sector is ( 50% workforce and
just 16% GDP) because of inefficiencies that are there in the Agricultural
system. These inefficiencies not only increases wastage but they lead to
lower production which coupled together decrease the productivity in farm
sector
• Lower Agricultural contribution in GDP (50 % in 1951 to 16% of GDP
today) is the indication that India is indeed developing and like any other
country in the past, the % contribution of agriculture sector decreases over
time. Indian households are not only graduating from Bare minimum
necessity to Premium necessity (Pulses to Chicken) but they are also
spending greater % on Discretionary Spending (Services, Education,
White goods etc) compared to Necessities ( Food etc)