Lok Sabha Question No. 2115 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-29
Subject: Start Ups for Drought
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SHIVKUMAR CHANABASAPPA UDASI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2115

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29 TH   NOVEMBER, 2016

## START UPS FOR DROUGHT

## 2115.      SHRI SHIVKUMAR UDASI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  start-ups  mooted  by  enterprising  professionals  in  agricultural  sector  have generated new opportunities for the Indian farmers and reinforced their supply chain, if so, the details of the successful projects which have been recorded by the concerned Ministry;
- (b) the  extent  to  which  these  start-ups  have  been  useful  in  drought-prone  regions  of  the country;
- (c) whether  these  start-ups  have  shown  any  encouraging  results  in  the  management  of livestock of the farmers and also marketing of their dairy products and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government has formulated an integrated 'Action Plan' for the land-holding landless and marginal farmers and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  S.S. AHLUWALIA)

- (a) to (c): A  Central  Sector  Scheme,  'Establishment  of  Agri-Clinics  and  Agri-Business Centres (ACABC)' has been under implementation since April, 2002, to supplement the efforts of  public  extension,  support  agricultural  development  and  create  gainful  self-employment opportunities to unemployed youths with qualification in agriculture and allied sectors.

The scheme promotes involvement of agri-preneurs trained under the ACABC scheme in providing  advisory  and  extension  services  to  the  farmers  in  agriculture  and  allied  areas.  The agri-preneurs  trained  under  ACABC  scheme  are  actively  involved  in  providing  advisory  and extension  services  to  the  farmers  on  various  technologies  including  soil  health,  cropping practices, plant protection, post harvest technology etc.

During the current year, 1930 candidates have been trained and 561 have established their ventures. Since inception of the scheme, 49745 candidates have been trained and 21010 agri-ventures have been established in the country till 31.10.2016. These ventures are acting as active supplementary institutions for Government Extension mechanism in the States.

Selected  agri-preneur  during  the  training  period  develops  a  specialized  project.  An indicative list of agri- ventures under ACABC scheme is given below:

-  Extension of consultancy services;
-  Soil and water quality cum inputs testing laboratories;
-  Crop  protection  services,  including  pest  surveillance,  diagnostic  and  control  services (with  culture  rooms,  autoclaves,  microscopes,  ELISA  Kits  etc.  for  detection  of  plant pathogens including viruses, fungi, bacteria, nematodes and insect pests);
-  Micro-propagation including plant tissue culture labs and hardening units;
-  Production,  maintenance  and  custom  hiring  of  agricultural  implements  and  machinery including micro irrigation systems;
-  Seed production and processing units;
-  Vermiculture units;
-  Production of bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides & other bio-control agents;
-  Apiaries (bee-keeping) and honey & bee products' processing units;
-  Agricultural insurance services;
-  Agri tourism
-  Agri journalism - film production; farm publications and exhibitions;
-  Poultry and fishery hatcheries;
-  Livestock health cover, veterinary dispensaries & services including frozen semen banks and liquid nitrogen supply and artificial insermination;
-  Information technology kiosks;
-  Feed production, marketing and testing units;
-  Value addition centres;
-  Cool chain including cold storage units.
-  Post  harvest  management  centres  for  sorting,  grading,  standardization,  storage  and packaging;
-  Metallic and non-metallic storage structures;
-  Horticulture clinic, nursery, landscaping, floriculture
-  Sericulture;
-  Vegetable production and marketing;
-  Retail marketing outlets for processed agri-outputs; Contract farming;
-  Crop production and demonstration;
-  Mushroom production;
-  Production, processing and marketing of medicinal and aromatic plants; and
-  Production units like dairy, poultry, piggery, fisheries, sheep rearing, goat rearing, emu rearing, rabbit rearing etc.

As regards Animal Husbandry Sector, the Government has taken various initiatives, in conjunction with the State Governments, which include Rashtriya Gokul Mission with the aim to conserve  and  develop  indigenous  bovine  breed,  National  Mission  on  Bovine  Productivity  to enhance milk production and productivity, measures to improve livestock health and control of animal diseases etc. These measures have helped in noticeable increase in the production of milk and egg.

(d): Agricultural  Technology  Management  Agency  (ATMA)  scheme  has  been  extended  to cover 652 rural Districts of 29 States & 03 Union Territories across the country.  This scheme has been revised to include manpower support: roping in the farmers feedback into planning by setting  up  Farmer  Advisory  Committees  (FACs)  at  Block/District  &  State  Level  and  providing farmer to farmer learning and extension support through farmer friend.  This includes various activities for educating and creating awareness amongst farmers like trainings, exposure visits, demonstration, study tours to farm schools etc.  Since inception, 4.00 crores farmers have been benefited through various farmer oriented activities, which includes small, marginal and medium farmers also.

********