Indian Government promotes Organic Farming
Context
The Indian government is actively promoting organic farming through two major schemes: Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for all states (except the Northeast) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER).
- These initiatives aim to provide financial assistance, certification, training, and marketing support to farmers engaged in organic agriculture.
Relevance:
GS-02 (Government policies and interventions)
Key Highlights
- Schemes Implemented:
- PKVY for all states except the Northeast.
- MOVCDNER for the North Eastern states.
- Financial Assistance:
- PKVY: ₹31,500/ha over 3 years, including ₹15,000/ha as Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for organic inputs.
- MOVCDNER: ₹46,500/ha over 3 years, including ₹32,500/ha for organic inputs and ₹15,000 under DBT.
- Certification Systems:
- Third-Party Certification (NPOP): For export-oriented organic products.
- Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India): A farmer-led system for domestic markets.
- Support for Farmers:
- PKVY: ₹4,500/ha for value addition, marketing, and publicity over 3 years.
- MOVCDNER: ₹10,000/ha over 3 years for training, certification, and capacity building.
- Marketing Initiatives:
- Jaivikkheti Portal: An online platform to connect organic farmers with consumers, with 6.22 lakh registered farmers.
- States organize seminars, trade fairs, and exhibitions to expand market reach.
- Organic Farming Coverage:
- Total area under organic certification (NPOP + PGS-India): 59.74 lakh ha (as of 2023-24).
- Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan lead in organic farming coverage.
- These efforts align with India’s sustainable agriculture goals, promoting eco-friendly farming practices, reducing chemical dependence, and enhancing farmers’ income. 🌱
What is Organic Farming?
- It is a method of farming that incorporates the idea that a healthy soil is the foundation for healthy crops.
- It avoids the usage of synthetic substances like fertilisers, pesticides, and GMO’s (genetically modified organisms).
- It builds on three fundamentals: building fertile soil, organic pest control, and using local resources.
- Building fertile soil: Organic farmers use compost, animal manure, green manures, and crop rotations to maintain healthy soil. They also use clover and legumes to “fix” nitrogen.
- Pest control: Organic farmers use biological, cultural, and genetic controls to minimize pest damage. Biological controls use natural enemies of pests, like predatory insects and parasitoids. Cultural controls, like crop rotation, disrupt pest cycles.
- Using local resources: Organic farming uses locally adapted methods and resources.
- Sikkim became the first state in the world to become fully organic in 2016.
- Exports: Major organic exports of India include flax seeds, sesame, soybean, tea, medicinal plants, rice and pulses.
Government Initiatives to Promote Organic Farming
- Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the North East Region (MOVCD): It is a Central Sector Scheme that was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in 2015. It is a sub-mission under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) for implementation in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.
- It aims to develop certified organic production in a value chain mode to link growers with consumers and to support the development of the entire value chain.
- Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): It launched in 2015. Under PKVY, organic farming is promoted through adoption of organic villages by cluster approach and Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification.
- Participatory Guarantee System (PGS): PGS is a process of certifying those organic products that stay in compliance with the quality standards. PGS Green is given to chemical-free produce under transition to ‘organic’ which takes 3 years.
- Zero Budget Natural Farming: It is one of the methods of chemical-free agriculture, drawing its roots from traditional Indian practices.
- Agri-export Policy 2018: It focuses on marketing and promotion of “Produce of India,” which has positively impacted organic farming in India.
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