Lok Sabha Question No. 568 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-19
Subject: New Farming Practice
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: DILIP PATEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 568

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19/12/2017

## NEW FARMING PRACTICE

568. SHRI DILIP PATEL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

(a) whether  a  new  farming  practice  has  been  developed  in  the  country  to  increase  the productivity of land and to lower the use of water and other farm inputs in cultivation of crops and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether  the  existing  problems  like  water  scarcity,  high  energy  usage  and  environmental degradation have been taken care of adequately to substantially increase crop yield; and

(c) if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) Yes Madam, the Indian Council of Agricultural  Research through its research institutions and All India Coordinated Research Projects/Network projects/Consortia Research Platforms with wide  network  of  cooperating  centres  and  State  Agricultural  Universities  has  developed  cost effective, ecofriendly, socially acceptable scientific farming practices; namely improved cultivars/ planting  materials/breeds,  crop  diversification,  resource  conservation  technologies  (zero  tillage, laser leveling, bed planting, system of rice intensification, direct seeding of rice), integrated water management, participatory watershed management for rainfed agriculture, micro irrigation, soil test based  balanced  and  integrated  nutrient  management,  enriched  composting,  vermicomposting, biofertilizers, integrated pest management,  organic  farming,  cost effective land reclamation technologies, climate resilient agriculture, low cost energy efficient farm implements and machinery to improve productivity of land, water and other farm inputs in cultivation of crops. These scientific farming  practices  are  being  popularized  through  various  programmes  namely,  National  Food Security Mission (NFSM), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Horticulture Mission (NHM), Bringing Green Revolution to the Eastern Region of India (BGREI), National Mission for Sustainable  Agriculture  (NMSA),  National  Mission  on  Agricultural  Mechanization,  National Mission  on  Oilseeds  and  Oil  Palm  (NMOOP),  National  Mission  on  Soil  Heath  Card,  Prime Minister's Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), Parampragat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).

(b)& (c): Yes  Madam,  the  existing  problems  like  water  scarcity,  high  energy  usage  and environmental  degradation  are  adequately  addressed.  The  Council  recommends  use  of  these practices  in  integrated  farming  system  mode.  The  improved  farming  systems  have  been  tested  in different  locations  and  found  to  increase  crop  and  water  productivity  substantially  over  the conventional farming systems.

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