Monday, April 21, 2025

Sustainable Agriculture in India & Related Missions/Schemes part 18

 Okay, here are structured notes based on the provided Telugu transcript about Indian Agriculture, focusing on Sustainable Agriculture and related schemes.

Topic: Sustainable Agriculture in India & Related Missions/Schemes

1. Introduction & Context
* Recap: Last video discussed Agriculture & Allied Sectors (వ్యవసాయ అనుబంధ రంగాలు).
* Current Focus: National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA - నేషనల్ మిషన్ ఫర్ సస్టైనబుల్ అగ్రికల్చర్).
* Global Context: Increasing global demand for sustainable agriculture in the 21st century.

2. Sustainable Agriculture (సుస్థిర వ్యవసాయం) - Core Principles & Need
* Definition/Goal: Long-term agricultural viability without harming resources.
* Key Pillars in India:
* Soil Conservation (నేల సంరక్షణ).
* Water Resource Conservation & Management (నీటి వనరుల సంరక్షణ).
* Bringing maximum possible land under cultivation efficiently.
* Problems Addressed:
* Negative impacts of chemical fertilizers (రసాయనిక ఎరువులు) and pesticides (పురుగు మందులు) on soil health (భూమి దెబ్బతినడం, కలుషితం అవ్వడం) and pollution.
* Depleting water resources (నీటి వనరులు తగ్గిపోవడం).
* Meeting rising demand for agricultural produce sustainably.

3. Water Management for Sustainability
* Challenge: Increasing water demand vs. limited sources. Cannot infinitely increase water sources.
* Solution: Efficient use of existing water.
* Methods Promoted (Micro-irrigation - సూక్ష్మ సేద్యపు పద్ధతులు):
* Sprinkler Irrigation (స్ప్రింకర్లు).
* Micro Irrigation (మైక్రో ఇరిగేషన్).
* Drip Irrigation (డ్రిప్ ఇరిగేషన్).
* Goal: Ensure long-term water availability for agriculture (దీర్ఘకాలం పాటు వ్యవసాయానికి డోకా లేకుండా).
* Scheme: Per Drop More Crop
* Slogan: "Har Khet Ko Pani" (హర్ ఖేత్ కో పానీ - Water to every field).
* Aim: Maximize crop production with minimal water usage.
* Part of: Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY - ప్రధానమంత్రి కృషి సించాయీ యోజన).
* Implementation: Subsidies for micro-irrigation equipment, bringing fallow land under cultivation.
* Funding/Progress:
* ₹16,344 crore spent (likely Centre + State) until 2021-22.
* Additional ₹906 crore released up to Nov 2022 (in 2022-23 budget).
* Area Covered: 67.46 lakh hectares brought under micro-irrigation between 2015-16 and mid-2021-22.
* Further 4.21 lakh hectares added by Oct 2022.

4. Land & Irrigation Statistics (India)
* Net Cultivable Area: 139.18 million hectares.
* Net Irrigated Area: 69.48 million hectares (under assured irrigation).
* Net Rainfed Area: 69.70 million hectares (dependent on rainfall).

5. Rainfed Area Development
* Challenge: Lack of assured irrigation for a large area (69.70 Mha).
* Program: Rainfed Area Development Programme (వర్షాధార ప్రాంత అభివృద్ధి కార్యక్రమము).
* Distinction:
* Rainfed Areas (వర్షాధార ప్రాంతాలు): Agriculture depends solely on rain.
* Drought-Prone Areas (వర్షాభావ ప్రాంతాలు): Receive less than normal rainfall (mentioned as <20% deficit).
* Authority: National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA - నేషనల్ రెయిన్ ఫెడ్ ఏరియా అథారిటీ).
* Role: Identifies drought-prone districts, recommends strategies, monitors conditions.
* Focus: Studied ~150 districts, prioritized 168 (need clarification on number) districts facing severe drought. Linked to Aspirational Districts Programme.
* Goal: Improve water sources, enhance livelihoods in these areas.
* Funding: ₹64.42 Cr released to states; ₹1573 Cr released from Centre by Feb 7, 2023, for rainfed development.

6. Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) & Cropping Patterns
* Promoted especially in rainfed areas under NMSA.
* Concept: Combining different agricultural activities for sustainability and risk mitigation.
* Types/Techniques:
* Multi-cropping (బహుళ పంటలు): Growing 2+ crops simultaneously in the same field within one season/year.
* Rotational Cropping (రొటేషనల్ క్రాపింగ్): Changing crops season by season based on soil health/tests, not growing the same crop repeatedly.
* Inter-cropping (అంతర పంటలు): Growing shorter-duration crops between the rows of longer-duration main crops (e.g., groundnut between oil palm trees).
* Mixed Farming (మిశ్రమ సేద్యం/పంటలు): Cultivating different crops in different plots on the same farm and integrating livestock (పశు సంపద), poultry, etc. (Diversification).

7. Organic & Natural Farming
* Importance: Key component of sustainable agriculture. Higher priority (అధిక ప్రాధాన్యత).
* Benefits: Soil conservation, less pollution, avoids toxic chemicals, potentially better human health.
* Scheme: Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY - పరంపరాగత్ కృషి వికాస్ యోజన)
* Focus: Promoting organic farming (సేంద్రీయ వ్యవసాయం).
* Approach: Cluster-based model (groups of farmers).
* Support: Financial assistance (₹50,000 per hectare over 3 years mentioned - covers inputs, certification, marketing), subsidies for organic inputs, seeds, machinery.
* Goal: Overcome challenges of organic conversion (yield drop, lack of knowledge), reduce farmer input costs, connect to markets.
* Marketing: Jaivik Kheti (జైవిక్ ఖేతి) Web Portal – connects farmers, traders, consumers for organic produce.
* State Brands examples: Made in Mandla (MP), Organic Uttarakhand, TN Organic Products, Sahyadri/Nasik/Gadchiroli Organic (MH), Adim Brand/Bastar Naturals (CG), Five Rivers (PB), Tripureshwari Fresh (TR).
* Scheme: National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) / Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP)
* Related to PKVY, potentially a newer focus.
* Focus: Promoting traditional, low-input/zero-budget natural farming methods (indigenous practices).
* Started: 2020-21.
* Initial Coverage: 4.09 lakh hectares in 8 states.
* Training: Strong emphasis on farmer training, field schools, master trainers, 'Each one Teach one'.
* Targets: 15,000 clusters, 7.5 lakh hectares coverage, train 15 lakh farmers. Aim for one model cluster per block.

8. Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF)
* Part of: NMSA.
* Concept: Integrating trees (like Bamboo, Eucalyptus) with crops/farming systems.
* Policy: National Agroforestry Policy, 2014.
* Implementation: 2016-17 to 2021-22 (Stopped April 1, 2022). Covered 21 states (excl. J&K, Ladakh).
* Goals: Promote selected tree species, support nurseries, transport, marketing linkages.
* Funding: 60:40 (Centre:State), 90:10 (NE/Himalayan).
* Progress: 1,61,238 Ha covered, 899 nurseries, 77,418 farmers benefited.

9. Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM - వ్యవసాయ యాంత్రీకరణ)
* Need: Address labour shortages, increase efficiency, timeliness, reduce drudgery.
* Benefits: Reduced input costs, precision agriculture.
* Current Status: High mechanization in Rice/Wheat harvesting/threshing; lower in planting/other operations/other crops.
* Scheme: SMAM (part of NMSA framework initially, now likely under RKVY).
* Started: 2014-15.
* Support: Subsidies for farm machinery purchase.
* General: 40-50%.
* Higher for SC/ST, Women, Small/Marginal farmers, NE states (up to 50% or more).
* Groups (8+ farmers) / Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs): Up to 80% subsidy.

10. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) - RAFTAAR
* Nature: Overarching scheme for agriculture & allied sector development.
* Started: 2007-08.
* Focus: Holistic development, increasing profitability, infrastructure (pre & post-harvest), market linkages.
* RAFTAAR Component: Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation. (Focus on farmer income).
* Current Structure: RKVY - Cafeteria approach (States choose interventions). Integrates many sub-missions like SMAM, PKVY, Per Drop More Crop etc.
* Funding: Primarily 60:40 (Centre:State), 90:10 (NE/Himalayan).

11. Agricultural Marketing (వ్యవసాయ మార్కెటింగ్)
* Crucial for farmer profitability, especially for organic/sustainable produce.
* Key Initiative: Jaivik Kheti Web Portal for organic marketing.
* RKVY-RAFTAAR emphasizes market infrastructure and linkages (from harvest to consumer).

Key Takeaways:

  • India is actively promoting sustainable agriculture through various missions and schemes under umbrellas like NMSA and RKVY.

  • Key focus areas include water use efficiency (micro-irrigation), soil health (organic/natural farming), integrated farming, mechanization, and market linkages.

  • Specific schemes like PKVY, NMNF, SMAM, Per Drop More Crop target different aspects of sustainability.

  • Significant financial resources are allocated, often with specific subsidy patterns favoring vulnerable groups and regions.

  • Data points indicate progress in areas like micro-irrigation coverage and organic farming clusters, but challenges remain, especially in rainfed areas and full mechanization.

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