Sustainable Agriculture Practices For Higher Yields- Government Updates 2023

Sustainable agriculture practices are farming techniques that focus on producing food in a way that is environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and economically viable. These practices aim to maintain the long-term health of the soil, minimize the use of non-renewable resources, and reduce the negative impact of agriculture on the environment.

Since 2015-16, the government has been actively promoting organic farming in India through two schemes, namely the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER).

These schemes offer comprehensive support to farmers engaged in organic farming, covering production, processing, certification, marketing, and post-harvest management. PKVY is implemented across all states in India, except for the North Eastern states, while MOVCDNER is implemented exclusively in the North Eastern states.

A total of Rs. 2679.96 crores have been released under these schemes from 2015-16 to 2022-23 to promote chemical-free organic farming in the country.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), farmers across various states in India receive financial aid of Rs 50,000 per hectare for 3 years. Out of this, an amount of Rs 31,000 per hectare for 3 years is directly provided to farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for purchasing on-farm and off-farm organic inputs. Additionally, financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh is given to a cluster of 1000 hectares for 3 years to support value addition and infrastructure development.

Since 2015-16, the PKVY has facilitated the development of 32,384 clusters, involving 16.19 lakh farmers, covering an area of 11.85 lakh hectares under organic farming. Additionally, eight states have established their brands for organic products. The scheme has seen the release of Rs. 1793.80 Crore.

Under the MOVCDNER, farmers are provided with financial assistance of Rs. 46,575 per hectare for three years to establish FPOs, receive training, and acquire organic inputs, quality seeds, and planting material. Furthermore, farmers are given financial assistance of Rs. 32,500 per hectare for three years for on-farm and off-farm organic inputs. Since its inception in 2015-16, the MOVCDNER has covered an area of 1.73 lakh hectares through the development of 379 FPOs/FPCs, involving 1.89 lakh farmers. Seven North-eastern states have also established their organic product brands. The scheme has released Rs. 886.16 Crore.

The government is promoting organic agriculture in stages, providing farmers with assistance for transformation and conducting research to develop packages and practices that promise comparable productivity. To provide farmers with technological support, the ICAR-All India Network Project on Organic Farming has developed an organic package of practices for 68 cropping systems that promise comparable productivity. These packages are being promoted through capacity building, training, and assistance. So far, over 59.12 lakh hectares of land have been converted to organic, with no effect on overall productivity in the country.

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