19-Apr-2023: Union Agriculture Minister Shri Tomar launches Seed Traceability portal and mobile app
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar today launched the SATHI (Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic Inventory) Portal and Mobile App, a Centralized Online System for seed traceability, authentication and inventory designed to deal with the challenges of seed production, quality seed identification and seed certification. It has been developed by the NIC in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on the theme of ‘Uttam Beej – Samriddhi Kisan’. On this occasion, Shri Tomar said that the Government of India is constantly trying to overcome the challenges and difficulties faced by Agriculture sector through various schemes and programmes. SATHI portal is an important step in this direction. When its use starts right to the grassroot level, it will prove to be a revolutionary step in the field of agriculture.
Chief guest Union Minister Shri Tomar said that Agriculture is of great importance to India. This importance has increased in the changing scenario. Earlier, we had only the aim of fulfilling our needs in agriculture, but at present the expectations of the world are also increasing from India. In such a situation, it is our responsibility to help feed the world while dealing with all the challenges of agriculture, climate change etc. Shri Tomar said that seeds, pesticides, fertilizers and irrigation play a major role in agriculture. Inferior quality or spurious seeds affect the growth of agriculture. This causes loss to the farmers, it also affects the agricultural production of the country. It has been said from time to time that we should devise such a system so that the market of spurious seeds is checked and quality seeds reach the farmers, for this the SATHI portal has been launched today. In this era of climate change, new types of pests are affecting the crops, on which agricultural scientists should focus their research to eradicate the menace. If we are able to save this loss, then we can save 20 percent of the entire agricultural production.
Union Minister Shri Tomar said that the first phase of SATHI (Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic) portal has just been launched. He directed the officials to ensure that the second phase does not take long. Efforts should be made to increase awareness so that the farmers get full benefit from it. There will be a QR code under this system, through which the seeds can be traced. Training should be imparted through Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Krishi Vigyan Kendras and State Governments. He urged all the states to join the Seed Traceability System.
SATHI portal will ensure quality assurance system, identify the source of seed in the seed production chain. The system will consist of integrated 7 verticals of the seed chain - Research Organisation, Seed Certification, Seed Licensing, Seed Catalogue, Dealer to Farmer Sales, Farmer Registration and Seed DBT. Seeds with valid certification can only be sold by valid licensed dealers to centrally registered farmers who will receive subsidy through DBT directly into their pre-validated bank accounts.
3-Apr-2023: 24.35 Lakh Additional Irrigation Potential Created Under PMKSY During 2016-2022
After launch of the umbrella scheme Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) in 2016, 99 on-going major/medium irrigation projects, along with 7 phases, were taken for partial financial assistance under PMKSY-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), with pari passu implementation of Command Area Development & Water Management (CAD&WM). Out of these, 50 projects have been reported to be completed so far. Further, 23 of the remaining projects have physical progress more than 90%, while another 14 projects have physical progress between 80% to 90%. Against a target of 34.64 lakh hectare of additional irrigation, during 2016-2022 an additional irrigation potential of 24.35 lakh hectare has been created through these projects.
Further, inclusion of projects other than the 99 prioritized projects has been permitted for implementation of PMKSY-AIBP during 2021-2026. In view of the same, six additional projects have been included under PMKSY-AIBP, in which an additional irrigation potential of 0.12 lakh hectare has been created during 2021-22.
As seen from the above, PMKSY-AIBP continues to perform satisfactorily in providing assistance to the States to complete the advanced stage irrigation projects held up due to financial constraints, to provide irrigation benefits to the farmers.
PMKSY was launched during the year 2015-16, with an aim to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency, introduce sustainable water conservation practices, etc.
With the inclusion of AIBP under PMKSY in 2016, a paradigm shift was made in implementation of the programme. During 2016-17, 99 ongoing major/medium irrigation projects were prioritized in consultation with States and included under PMKSY-AIBP, for completion in mission mode, along with their Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM) works. Funding mechanism through NABARD was approved by the Government for both Central and State share. Thus, the strategy was devised for completion of the identified priority irrigation projects, which the States chose to be completed in mission mode, with assured funding through NABARD.
Further, based on the experience gained during 2016-2021, the strategy for implementation of PMKSY-AIBP during the period 2021-2026 has been further partially modified, by adding other projects through a liberalised inclusion criteria, and funding through budgetary resources.
Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) under NITI Ayog has carried out evaluation of PMKSY for the period 2015-2020. AIBP has been graded as the ‘satisfactory’ (highest category) in parameters such as relevance, efficiency, impact and equity. Further, grading for effectiveness has been determined as ‘average’ (second best category), while sustainability of the programme has been graded as ‘needs improvement’.
Government of India reviews its schemes, including PMKSY-AIBP, from time to time, and the requisite changes are brought about to make the implementation more effective. Further, the State Governments are mandated to monitor implementation of irrigation projects under PMKSY-AIBP and ensure their proper operation and maintenance. In addition, such projects are regularly monitored by Central Water Commission, as well as by a dedicated Project Management Unit (PMU) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Physical and financial progress of these projects is also monitored through a dedicated dashboard, backed with a management information system maintained by this Ministry.
28-Mar-2023: National Mission on Natural Farming
To motivate farmers to adopt chemical free farming and enhance the reach of natural farming, the Government has formulated National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) as a separate and independent scheme from 2023-24 by up scaling the Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddati (BPKP). The success of NMNF will require behavioral change in farmers to shift from chemical based inputs to cow based locally produced inputs and thus requires continuous creation of awareness, training, handholding and capacity building of farmers in the initial years. The provision of Rs 459.00 crores for 2023-24 has been proposed after careful consideration and the requirement of increase of budget is not anticipated at this stage.
The budget for fertilizer subsidy for 2023-24 has been kept at Rs 1,75,099 crore.
Natural Farming is a way of chemical free farming based on desi cow and locally available resources, with no chemical fertilizers and pesticides and promotes traditional indigenous practices which give freedom to farmers from externally purchased inputs and is largely based on on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching, use of on-farm desi cow dung-urine formulation; managing pests through diversity, on-farm botanical concoctions and exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs directly or indirectly and emphasis is given on improving natural nutrient cycling and increase in organic matter in the soil, which can help with climate change resilience and carbon sequestration in soils.
“National Standard of Organic Production (NSOP) has defined organic agriculture as “a system of farm design and management to create an ecosystem which can achieve sustainable productivity without use of artificial off farm input such as chemical fertilizer and pesticides. Organic farming is considered to be climate friendly farming practices promoting low external input usage, recycling, reuse and reduced use of synthetics in farming. Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) under its All India Network Programme on Organic Farming has developed package of practices for organic production in cropping and farming systems mode.
Climate smart agriculture is a broader concept which includes all environments friendly agricultural approaches like integrated farming systems, conservation agriculture, natural farming, organic farming, precision agriculture, regenerative agriculture, reclamation of degraded soils and reduced food loss and waste to achieve sustainable agriculture. Climate smart agriculture is an integrated approach to managing landscapes-cropland, livestock, forests and fisheries-that address the interlinked challenges of food security and climate change. It aims to tackle three main objectives: sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes, adapting and building resilience to climate change and reducing greenhouses gas emissions wherever possible and supports FAO strategic framework 2022-2031.
To make global consensus on a broader concept, Government has opted climate smart agriculture rather than natural and organic farming in its priorities for G20 agriculture working group.