Lok Sabha Question No. 2337 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-03
Subject: Review of Farmers Leaving Agribusiness
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Geeta Kora, Rajendra Dhedya  Gavit, Vishnu Dutt Sharma, Dileshwar Kamait

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2337

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 3 rd  AUGUST, 2021

## REVIEW OF FARMERS LEAVING AGRIBUSINESS

## 2337. SHRIMATI GEETA KORA: SHRI RAJENDRA DHEDYA GAVIT: SHRI VISHNU DATT SHARMA: SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT:

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

- (a) whether the Government has conducted a review to estimate the number of farmers who left the agribusiness;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (c) the main reasons identified in the review for farmers leaving agriculture;
- (d) whether the Government has advised farmers to move from traditional crops to cash crops;
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the other deficiencies identified during the review; and
- (f) the steps taken by the Government to popularize agriculture and ensure that farmers do not leave the agribusiness in near future?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (c): The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India does not maintain any such record.

(d) & (e): The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has established a network of 725 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in the country with the mandate of Technology Assessment  and  Demonstration  for  its  Application  and  Capacity  Development  for encouraging the farmers to adopt new and modern agricultural technologies.

(f): Under the scheme Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE) of Green Revolution  (Krishonnati  Yojana),  a   Central  Sector  component,  'Establishment  of Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres (AC&ABC)' has been under implementation 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 AC&ABC  scheme  in  providing  advisory  and  extension  services  to  the  farmers  in agriculture and allied areas through agriventures established with financial supports. These  agri-preneurs  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.

The  National  Institute  of  Agricultural  Extension  Management  (MANAGE), Hyderabad is the implementing agency for Training Component and National Bank for  Agriculture  and  Rural  Development  (NABARD)  is  the  implementing  agency  for Subsidy Component of AC&ABC scheme.

Under  the  scheme,  residential  training  of  45  days  duration  is  imparted  to unemployed  candidates  who  possess  degree/  diploma  in  agriculture  and  allied subjects,  intermediate  in  agriculture,  science  graduates  with  PG  in  agri  related courses and graduates in life sciences and environmental sciences through selected Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs) in various parts of the country. The NTIs also provide hand-holding to the trained candidates for establishment of agri-ventures in agriculture  and  allied  areas  and facilitates  in  providing  loan  assistance  from banks and subsidy support through NABARD.

There is a provision of credit linked back-ended upfront composite subsidy on the bank loan availed by trained candidates under the Scheme. The subsidy is 44% in respect of women, SC/ST and all categories of candidates from North-Eastern and Hill  States  and  36%  in  respect  of  other  categories.  The  subsidy  is  admissible  for loans  up  to  Rs.20  lakhs  in  case  of  individual  and  Rs.100  lakhs  in  case  of  Group Projects (for ventures set up by a group of 5 trained candidates).

Recently,  benefits  of  MUDRA  loan  scheme  have  been  inducted  under AC&ABC scheme. Also, the scheme has been on-boarded with DBT Bharat Mission for  implementation  of  Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT)  and  Aadhaar  particulars  have been made mandatory for getting benefits under the scheme. A dedicated portal with URL,  https://acabcmis.gov.in  has  been  developed  for  online  processing  of  training programmes and subsidy distribution under the scheme.  The List Of Agri Ventures Under  AC&ABC Scheme includes Extension  consultancy  services,  Soil  and  water quality  cum  inputs  testing  laboratories,  Crop  protection  services,  including  pest surveillance,  diagnostic  and  control   services,  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, biopesticides  &  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 insemination, 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  including Metallic and non-metallic storage structures, Horticulture clinic, nursery, landscaping, floriculture, Sericulture, Vegetable production and marketing, Retail marketing outlets for  processed  agri-products,  Production  and  marketing  of  farm  inputs  &  outputs,

Contract farming, Crop production and demonstration, Mushroom  production, Production, processing and marketing of medicinal and aromatic plants, Production units like dairy, poultry, piggery, fisheries, sheep rearing, goat rearing, emu rearing, rabbit rearing etc.

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