Lok Sabha Question No. 136 (STARRED), answered on 2020-02-11
Subject: Vision Document for Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Pushpendra Singh Chandel

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 136

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11/02/2020

## VISION DOCUMENT FOR AGRICULTURE

## *136.  SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि और षकसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  has  prepared  a 'Vision Document' for development of agriculture sector;

- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the salient features of the said document;

- (c) whether the Government has taken any steps to increase agricultural production and to encourage farmers to take up new Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) across the country;

- (d) if so, the details thereof;

- (e) whether the Government has launched any new agricultural projects to promote the concept of cow-based farming using cow dung, cow urine and earthworm, generation of energy using bull, sericulture, etc., to encourage farmers across the country to take up scientific farming; and

- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि और षकसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (f)

:

A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) to (f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 136 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11/02/2020 REGARDING 'VISION DOCUMENT FOR AGRICULTURE'

(a) & (b): To keep pace with the changing technological requirements in agriculture and dissemination of appropriate futuristic agricultural technologies, ICAR has been updating the  vision  and  strategies  of  research  for  the  holistic  development  of  Indian  Agriculture. ICAR has  developed  perspective  plans  and  vision  for  2030  and  2050.  These  documents provide  the  strategic  framework  for  innovation-led  inclusive  and  sustainable  agricultural growth  in  the  country.  The  ICAR  Institutes  under  the  Council  have  also  prepared  their vision documents which feed into the ICAR vision. The vision documents focus on targeted outputs of research for increased productivity, improvement in quality of life and creation of  wealth  for  the  society  at  large,  and  small  farmers  in  particular.  Gene  revolution  for lowering the production costs, raising the yields and net farm incomes, reducing the use of pesticides  and  herbicides,  and  lowering  the  consumer  prices,  development  of  sustainable and  appropriate  models  for  commercialization  of  agriculture  through  value  chains  and market linkages have been duly included.

## (c) & (d):

i) Steps taken to increase agricultural production :  Since Green Revolution in 60s, the  hallmark  of  the  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  has  been  its  high  yielding varieties, hybrids along with improved breeds/varieties of livestock, poultry and fish along with  production  and  protection  technologies  for  different  agro-climatic  situations.  As  a result,  the  country  is  not  only  self-sufficient  in  food  grains,  major  food  items  and  other agricultural  commodities  but  also  a  net  exporter  in  many  commodities.  Research  and technology developments enabled overall increase of 5.5 times in food-grains production, 10.1 times in horticultural crops, 9.7 times in milk, 15.2 times in fish and 48.1 times in egg during the period 1950-51 to 2017-18.

During  2014-2019,  ICAR  developed  and  notified  1020  high  yielding  varieties  of various  crops  having  multiple  stress  tolerance/resistance.  Similarly,  339  high  yielding varieties  of  fruits  vegetables  and  other  horticultural  crops  were  developed  to  augment horticultural  production.  To  address  the  problem  of  malnutrition  through  natural  food system, 53 bio-fortified varieties have been developed during the last 5 years. Creation of 150 seed hubs of pulse crops, together with policy support has enabled the country to attain near self-sufficiency in pulse crops. A total 41 new cattle breeds have been registered and notified, 6 new varieties of pigs and 5 new high producing back yard poultry varieties have been developed besides 10 vaccines and 43 diagnostic kits against major animal diseases. As part of National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), climate resilient technologies  are  being  demonstrated  in  151  climatically  vulnerability  districts  of  the country. The district level agricultural contingency plans for 650 rural districts have been prepared to support the district administrations in rolling out contingency measures against a  matrix  of  weather  and  rainfall  aberrations.    During  2014-19,  ICAR  developed  23197 prototypes  of  improved  agriculture  machinery  besides  establishing  126  agro-processing centres and 45 Food Processing Laboratories in various parts of the country.  These efforts are  helping  the  farming  community  of  the  country  by  increasing  production,  improving efficiency, reducing production loss, reducing cost of production and improving income.

## ii) Validation & Promotion of Zero Budget Natural Farming :

Validation  of  Zero  Budget  Natural  Farming  is  being  carried  out  in  Indian  Council  of Agricultural Research (ICAR) through ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, Uttar Pradesh. The Institute has initiated a study on 'Evaluation of zero budget farming  practices  in  basmati  /  coarse  rice-wheat  system' from rabi 2017  at  4  locations namely  Modipuram  (Uttar  Pradesh),  Pantnagar  (Uttarakhand),  Ludhiana  (Punjab)  and Kurukshetra (Haryana) under All India Network Programme on Organic Farming and All India  Coordinated  Research  Project  on  Integrated  Farming  Systems.  The  number  of locations has now increased to 20.

(e) & (f): Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Government of India has  launched  Rashtriya  Gokul  Mission  (RGM)  in  December  2014  for  development  and conservation  of  indigenous  breeds  through  selective  breeding  and  genetic  upgradation  of nondescript  bovine  population.  ICAR  through  All  India  Coordinated  Research  Project (AICRP)  on  Utilization  of  Animal  Energy  is  engaged  in  Research  and  Development  on utilization  of  animal  energy for enhanced system efficiencies with special focus on hilly, tribal and low mechanization regions of the country. Under this scheme, improved animal drawn  implements/tools  for  tillage  &  sowing,  tool  for  intercultural  operations,  straw collector  farm  yard  manure  spreader  and  animal  drawn  dung  collector  etc.  have  been developed  which  are  being  popularized  among  farmers  through  training  and  front  line demonstrations  by  8  cooperating  centres  of  the  AICRP.  Under  AICRP  on  Energy  in Agriculture and Agro-industries also, ICAR has developed technologies for the production of biogas and bio-compost from cow dung. Different sizes and designs of the biogas plants developed  under  the  scheme  have  been  popularized  under  this  Scheme.  Besides  these, ICAR has developed 51 integrated farming systems (IFS) models and 45 organic farming models for promotion in different agro-ecologies of the country and a majority of which are cow/livestock based.

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