Incentives and Strategies for Scaling Out Innovations for Smallholder Farmers . CLIMATE CONTROLLED HI-TECH GREEN HOUSE CULTIVATION by Dr. Brahma Singh

1. Out scaling Protected Cultivation:Constraints and options
Brahma Singh
Founder President, Indian Society for Protected Cultivation,
New Delhi and former Director, Life Sciences, DRDO, New Delhi
in
Session II: Incentives for Scaling out Innovations
of
Policy Dialogue
on
"Incentives and Strategies for Scaling Out Innovations for
Smallholder Farmers" 30-31 October 2017 NAAS Lecture Hall, NASC Complex New Delhi-12

2. Definition and Meaning
Protected Farming- means providing suitable environment surrounding
food crops entity for production ---Horticulture, poultry, animal
production for milk and meat, nursery of crops
Protected Cultivation- AN INNOVATION, means providing suitable
environment (modifying micro climate) surrounding the plant for its
production---mostly horticulture crops like vegetables, flowers, foliage
(annuals, biennials and perennials), orchids, cactus and succulents, fruits,
medicinal and aromatic plants, spices, mushrooms and others. Protected
cultivation results in higher per unit productivity, profitability and
nutrition (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19315260.2011.572147)
Above are age old practices in India and abroad. Technology has been
refined abroad and brought to India; Using this technology as such is a
big constraint leading to repeated failures.
Modification of this imported protected cultivation protocol to suit
varied Indian climatic conditions differently IS DESIRABLE OPTION.

3. Micro-climate Modification
To modify microclimate low-cost, affordable and effective following crop
growing structures/material are in use.
Most common ones are
Plastic mulch
Poly tunnel
1. Low tunnel
2. Walk-in tunnels Value addition
3.High roof tunnel with ventilation
Insect proof net/screen houses
Shade net houses
Rain shelters
Naturally ventilated poly house – most common but----
Climate controlled greenhouse and other innovative hi-tech structures

4. Plastic
mulching
coupled
with
fertigation
is future
farming for
earliness, weed
free crop, economy
in water and 25%
higher yield.

5. Vegetable Production in Low and walk-in Poly Tunnels-boon
for smallholder farmers in hills as well as plain areas

6. Poly -tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh for growing
Naga/King Chili/Bhut Jhulukia – Hottest chili in the world – used
in Chili Bomb also to disperse mob

7. Cactus house at Rashtrapati Bhawan Potected Cultivation

8. Insect- Proof Net House – Proving affordable and viable
Insect- proof net house is a closed crop production
system that prevents insect- pests invasion via
physical barrier: 40 mesh, 20 % shade

9. Shade (20, 40, 60 %) Net Structures
Cocoa

10. Orchids Sikkim,
Arunachal Pradesh
Good business for
smallholder farmers
Lady’s Slipper Orchid Variety: SHEETAL 1 SIKKIM
Flowers during October – Feb/Mar with longevity
> 4 months.

11. Vegetable farming under RAIN shelters -
Kerala

12. Naturally Ventilated Poly-house: Plastic Mulch with Low
Gravity DRIP/ Ferti- gation – viable & ideal, becoming popular
IGKV

13. CLIMATE CONTROLLED HI-TECH GREEN HOUSE for DISEASE FREE
NURSERY PRODUCTION AND SOILLESS CULTIVATION
VEGETABLES &FLOWERS NURSERY PRODUCTION IN PLUG TRAYS-
SOILLESS MEDIUM, USING SOLAR POWERED GH ----- is required
Gharonda
Haryana

14. Hi-tech Soilless Production
Grow Bag farming ,EPCOT,
FLORIDA
Aquaponics Vertical vegetable production
Vegetable grafts Aeroponics
Button Mushrooms

15. Protected vegetable cultivation in Ladakh - A Success Story
• In 1962 carrot, radish, turnip, potato and palak (beet leaf) used to grow in
short summer of winter frozen Ladakh.
• Thanks to Chinese aggression Ladakh on date is surplus in cabbage and
potato production, meeting 45 % of Defence requirements locally and
boost to grow all short of vegetables with world records of growing 101
types of vegetables in a season simultaneously.
• Above could be possible by using protected cultivation- making DRDO
pioneer in successful protected cultivation in India
Polyench = Poly house over trench Trench

16. Soil Trench Vegetable Cultivation in Cold Desert of
Ladakh

17. Inner view of Polyench
Polyench
Outer view of Polyench
Leafy vegetables in winter Extra polythene cover in winter
POLYENCH
Size:
20m x 6m = 120 sq m
Cost:
Rs 1,30,000
Subsidy
Rs 50,000/-
Gross Income
Rs 44,000/
Net Income
Rs 18,381/
Cost benefit ratio
1: 1.72
CROPS
Winter:
Leafy vegetables, radish,
turnip, potato, Nursery
for summer crops
Summer: Solanaceous
and cucurbitaceous
vegetables

18. Trench
Low poly tunnels
Poly-house (Out-side)
Polyench (In-side)
Polyench (Out-side)
Poly-house (In-side)
Poly-cabonate house
L
A
D
A
K
H

19. चार हजार वर्ग
मीटर से शुरुआत
की थी आज तीस
हजार वर्ग मीटर
में पॉली हाउस
लर्ाया है।”
turn over
Rs One Crore per
year
Sh Khema Ram FROM RAJASTHAN trained in Israel is having
poly houses in 7.5 acres with annual turn over of Rs one crore
only
https://www.gaonconnection.com/badalta-india/the-farmer-of-rajasthan-khemaram-made-his-village-a-
mini-israeli-turnover-of-10-million-annually

20. Case study (2016-17)
Classic Floritech, Project Sirmor (HP)
Owner : Mohmand Mustaq
Type of structure : Polyhouse
Area : 03 Acre
Year of establishment : 2008-09
Assisted by : NABARD
Crop : Rose
No. of plant : 1.0 lakh
Number of flowers : 81467
Average Rate : 20/flower
Gross income : 16.29 lakh
Expenditure : 6.0 lakh
Net Income : 10.29 Lakh
Per Acre Annual Income in RS : 03.43 Lakh
Roses
in
Soilless
Medium
in
net
house
at
Una, HP

21. Case Study - Sardar Surjeet Singh Virlk; Pakka Kheda Karnal
Type of structure : Net houses
Area : 05Acre (2015) + 02acre(2017
New Assisted by : NABARD
Crop : Cucumber and Capsicum
Exp. per acre on construction (Rs) : Rs 21.0 lakh
Subsidy : 65% approx
Crop : Cucumber (Two Crops per year)
1. Sep-Dec.
Avg yield/ rate (Rs/kg) :275 q/acre/ 20
Gross income (Rs) : 5.50 lakh/ acre
2. Feb-Jun
Yield/rate Rs/kg : 500 q/acre/15
Gross income (Rs) : 7.50 lakh
Total Gross Income (Rs) : 13.0 lakh
Expenditure (40%) of Gross income : 4.80 lakh
Net profit per acre per year (Rs) : 8.20 lakh
Crop (01 crop in a year) : Capsicum
Planting date : Aug-Sep
Avg yield (green) : 400 q/acre,
Avg. rate : Rs 20/kg :
Gross income : Rs 8.0 lakh/ acre
Expenditure : Rs 3.50 lakh
Net profit per year per acre : Rs 4.50 lakh

22. Case study (2016-17) Medicinal Plants
PC Herbs Dr BS Rana, Narayan Garh, Ambala
Type of structure : Nethouses
Area : 06Acre
Year of establishment : 2013
Assisted by : State Govt
Crop : STEVIA
No. of plant : 1.0 lakh
Net income : 44.0lakh/year
(appx.)
Per Year Per Acre Income Rs : 07.3
(approx.)
Aconite (Aconitum heterophyllum)
leh

23. Protected cultivation provides good returns
(Rs 3 - 7 lakhs/year/acre) on account of -
Quality produce
Off season production
Early production
Prolonged production
Higher production
Early and disease free plant nursery raising
Hardening of grafted plants and tissue culture plants

24. PROTECTED HORTICULTURE EXPERIENCE SO FAR
• Horticulture plants nursery raising and Foliage plants multiplication
• Crops adopted for higher returns in India under low cost protected
structures are:
Vegetables : tomato, cherry tomato, cucumber, capsicum,
mushrooms, Leafy vegetables in Ladakh, coriander in plains
Flowers: gerbera, rose, carnation, orchids, Lily, anthurium
Fruits: strawberry, pomegranate, papaya
Medicinal plants: Stevia, off season basil, aswagandha, aconite

25. Protected Cultivation - Best Option on date for out scaling
among small holder farmers
• Net house + Plastic mulch + Drip/Fertigation for large no. of crops
like tomato, cucumber, pepper/Capsicum; Chrysanthemum, Lilies,
Roses, Gerbera, Anthurium, Foliage plants; Stevia, basil and others.
• Climate controlled greenhouses are needed for raising plant
nurseries to meet seedlings requirement of vegetable growing
clusters both under open condition and cover. Ornamental/ foliage
plants multiplication
• Plastic tunnels both low as well as walk-in tunnels are most suitable
for temperate climate with modifications according to climate of the
place and raising early cucurbits and others in northern plains.
• Inputs and guidance for above from reputed private and public
sectors are must.

26. Causes for Green House Failure / Damage
• The profile used in the GH frame, trusses and other
member too light which deform by strong Winds.
• Cladding material some time appeared
to be stronger than structure- chance of collapse
• Poly film tearing because of rough and sharp
edge of the frame – repair not possible
• The foundation not sufficiently secured
against uplift forces
• Damage of polyfilm often start from the ventilation openings.
USE OF SPECIFIED MATERIAL IS AN ANSWER TO ABOVE
Herb growers
damage by
IRMA,
Florida

27. Government Assistance For adoption of
Greenhouse Technology by farmers,
Government of India has been providing subsidy @ 50% of the
total cost indicated below with a maximum ceiling up to 4000
m2 per beneficiary under Mission for Integrated development
of horticulture (MIDH)
Pattern of Assistance (Rs/m2) upto 4000 m2 per beneficiary
1. Greenhouse with Fan and Pad system -- 1465
2. Naturally ventilated greenhouse
(a) 935 (Tubular structure);
(b) 515 (Wooden Structure) and
(c) 375 (Bamboo Structure)
PLUS Subsidy by State Govt.
Source: Iyengar et al. (2011)

28. Government Agencies Promoting Protected Horticulture
• NABARD: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
• NHB: National Horticulture Board
• MIDH: Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture
• SFAC: Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium
• APEDA: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority
• MMI: Mission on micro irrigation
• NMPB: National Medicinal Plant Board
• RKVY: Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
• NCPAH: National Committee on plasticulture, Agriculture with the Horticulture
• State Governments like
• Pandit Deen Dayal Kisan Bagwan Samridhi Yojna- H P
• ‘Dr. Y. S. Parmar Kisan Sawrozgar Yojna’ has also been initiated by the state government for
setting-up about 4700 polyhouses and 2150 drip irrigation/sprinkler units in the next four years
with an outlay of Rs 111.2 crores to promote polyhouse farming in HP.

29. Constraints faced by the poly-house growers in Haryana
1. High initial fabrication cost and poor quality of cladding material
2. Frequent occurrence of wind storms, hailstorms - damage
3. High cost of inputs like hybrid seeds, nursery and labour
4. Lack of continued technical guidance by field functionaries
5. Lack of knowledge of value addition processes
6. Lack of marketing knowledge/intelligence
7. Problem of nematode infestation, mites and white fly
8. Non availability of refrigerated vehicles and cold stores in villages
9. Solarization in the month of May & June is essential for poly house
(Ghanghas, B S; Rati Mukteshwar and P S Shehrawat. 2015.
“ Protected Cultivation (Polyhouse) in Haryana: Problems &Prospects.”
Indian J. App. Res. 5(8): 684 – 685 )

30. Policy Related
Constraints and Options in Protected Cultivation
1. Lack of human resource development institutes/agencies
both for structure fabrication, and crop production
technologies. Little or no quality testing facilities for PC
structure particularly cladding material against weather
vagaries like wind storm etc. Lack of experts and genuine
research in the country, No incentive for Innovation.
To overcome above
Establish, ICAR- National Institute for protected cultivation

31. Continue--
2. Cladding/covering material expensive, has short life (4-5 yrs)
and not easily available .
BIS standards for material used in fabrication of protected
structures need to be updated continuously and adhered too.
Ensure easy supply of cladding material.
3. Lack of skilled human resource, appropriate tools and
machinery to repair.
Run courses at IITs, KVKs and other such places for repair and
upkeep of protected structures. Make provision for training the
growers to repair structures.

32. Cont.
4. Structure cost initially looks unaffordable. Small holder farmers with zero risk
affordability do not come forward to adopt it-
Educate the farmer through farmers club or group and other NGOs
about subsidies/ support by different agencies. Advice such farmers on use of
plastic mulch and plastic tunnels which are affordably profitable.
5 . INCOHERANT SUBSIDY REGIME UNINTENDEDLY DOING MORE HARM THAN
GOOD TO THE CAUSE IT IS MEANT- Socio-economic issue; Subsidy not released
on time. Executive problems as stated earlier.
Strict monitoring on every step of subsidy perhaps may be of some help

33. Cont—
6. A poly house with in Rs 500/ sqm and shade net
Rs 200/ sqm cost will make the industry
economically viable with or without subsidy.
It is feasible.
7. Seeds suitable for P C are mostly imported, costly
(cucumber Rs 7 each) and taken on trust of supplier-
sporadic research on suitable crop and their
varieties
Develop Indigenous crop varieties/hybrids suitable
for protected cultivation and make available their
seeds through public sector too.

34. Cont.
8. BIS standards for materials used in construction of protected
structures .
There is need to have updated ISI/BIS standards for materials used
in Protected cultivation and create awareness on these
9. Not possible to develop a versatile local model which can fit to
prevailing different climate in India
Have local models of appropriate structures to withstand cooler
winter months, hot summer months, wind storm and heavy rains.
10. Empanelment of Poly house suppliers for subsidy purpose is
adversely affecting out scaling of technology.
Free competition among registered manufacturers.

35. Cont.
11. Structure Design : there is no flexibility of designing
particular type of structure. MIDH has given poly house designs
and expects every farmer in the country to follow it.
Research and provide flexibility in design of structure to suit
local climate.
12. Manual or hand pollination in cross pollinated vegetables
like cucurbits or development of their parthenocarpic
hybrids/varieties, even tomato- a self pollinated crop needs
application of pollens by some device.
Provision of Pollinators-Bumble bees, honey bees and others AS
WELL AS DEVELOP SUITABLE CROP VARIETIES/HYBRIDS FOR
PROTECTED CULTIVATION –Import of Bumble Bee Colony

36. AQUAPONICS CUCURBITS NEED INSECT
POLLINATORS
UNDER PROTECTED
CULTIVATION

37. Cont.-
13. Root Knot Nematode (RKN) becomes serious threat in poly
houses after 3 years. Available preventive /control measures are
not very effective.
Have national program on management of RKN being a national
problem – RKN are big problem in open fields too for large
number of crops
14. Protected cultivation in isolation/staggered makes difficult to
market produce and earn profit.
Have clusters of protected cultivation –a group of 20-25 farmers
having 12-15 hectares of protected structures ensuring
availability of inputs and marketing produce locally. Almeria in
Spain has 40000 hectares of green houses at ONE PLACE and
exports its products to entire Europe.

38. CONCLUDING POINTS
• Execution of incentives for protected cultivation is proving counter
productive and scaling down the purpose : This needs to be corrected
on priority. Streamline subsidy on Protected Cultivation.
• Provide flexibility in poly/net house design, empanelment of suppliers
be broad based and revised every two years if considered necessary .
Have BIS standards for materials used in protected cultivation.
• Make efforts to bring down cost of poly house @ Rs 500 per sq. m.
and net house Rs 200 per Sq. m by extending support to fabricators.
• Establish NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR PROTECTED CULTIVATION under
ICAR on priority to overcome constraints in out scaling PROTECTED
CULTIVATION.
• Develop indigenous crop varieties/hybrids suitable for protected
cultivation preferably for organic conditions, resistant to root knot
nematodes, mites and white fly- Promote vegetable grafting

39. • Follow cluster approach for out scaling protected cultivation for
smallholder farmers and others.
• Plastic mulch, tunnels and net houses coupled with drip/fertigation are
best option to out scale among all.
• Ministry of Skill Development can undertake skilled human resource
development on protected cultivation
• Develop and make available on commercial scale Insect pollinators for
protected cultivation- major issue
• INTENSIFY R&D TO PROMOTE INDIGENOUS SOILLESS FARMING,
HYDROPONICS, AREOPONICS, AQUAPONICS, PROTRAY SEEDLING
PRODUCTION AT HOME AND FARM SCALE- Future Farming
• Review policy on protected cultivation periodically
Concluding points cont----

41. Acknowledgement
Inputs from the following are thankfully acknowledged
1. Dr Narendra Singh, Sc. F, DIHAR, DRDO
2. Dr D R Singh, Director, ICAR- DOR, Sikkim
3. Mr Mohammed Mustaq , Panchkula, Haryana
4. Er Rajeeb Kumar Roy, Agriplast , Bengaluru
5. Dr Arjun Singh Saini, DG, Horticulture, Haryana
6. Er Sai Krishna, Chennai
7. Sardar Surjeet Singh , Karnal
8. Dr B S Rana Ambala