Lok Sabha Question No. 3491 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-10
Subject: National Agricultural Innovation Project
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Y. S. Avinash Reddy, Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Kanumuru

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3491

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  AUGUST, 2021

## NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION PROJECT

3491.  SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY: SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMA KRISHNA RAJU:

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

- (a) whether the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the World Bank have been implementing a joint National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) in the country and if so, the details thereof and the objectives of setting up NAIP;
- (b) the  details  of  the  World  Bank  assistance  utilized  till  date  for  achieving  the  NAIP objectives;
- (c) the  details  of  contribution  of  NAIP  for  betterment  of  farmers  by  providing  innovative ideas;
- (d) whether any assessment of the NAIP has been carried out and if so, the outcome of the  assessment  and  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  work  NAIP  in  such  a  way  to  help farmers in overcoming their difficulties by imparting new strategies and innovative solutions; and
- (e) the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Union  Government  to  facilitate  accelerated  and sustainable  transformation  of  agriculture  in  support  of  poverty  alleviation  and  income generation?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Yes, Sir.  National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) was jointly funded by World Bank and Govt. of India. The total budget of the project was Rs. 1344.62 Crore (Rs.1302.80 crore under NAIP and Rs.41.82 crore under Global Environment facilities). The NAIP was initiated on 18 th  September, 2006 for implementation and was closed on 30 th  June, 2014.

The  overall  objective  of  NAIP  was  to  facilitate  an  accelerated  and  sustainable transformation of the Indian agriculture from self-sufficiency to market orientation, so that it could support poverty alleviation and income generation through collaborative development and  application  of  agricultural  innovations  by  the  public  organizations  in  partnership  with private  sector,  Non-Governmental  Organizations  (NGOs),  farmers'  groups,  and  other stakeholders.

(b) Rs. 1344.32 crore was utilized during the duration of the project which is almost 100% of the sanctioned budget.

(c) The sub project under component III of NAIP focused on providing sustainability and livelihood security to rural population in 91 disadvantaged targeted districts. Farmers were motivated  to  adopt  newer  technologies.  Integrated  farming  systems  approaches  were identified  and  implemented. These included Management of Natural Resources, improved cultivation  practices,  promotion  of  Horticulture,  livestock-based farming  systems  and  other income generating activities. In all, 426 new technologies were demonstrated in the project among 176519 direct beneficiaries / farmers.

The interventions which yielded high response from the community were included in value chain approach. The some of the sustainable models in this approach were:-

- i.  Linseed production and processing in backward districts of Maharashtra;
- ii.  Redgram transplanting and processing in Bidar (Karnataka);
- iii. Turmeric production and processing in Siaha (Mizoram);
- iv. Large cardamom production and processing (Sikkim);
- v.  'Kadaknath' poultry conservation in Madhya Pradesh;
- vi. Livestock value chain in Maharashtra.

(d) The  National  Agricultural  Innovation  Project  had  an  in-built  Monitoring  &  Evaluation (M&E) mechanism that enabled monitoring at three different but distinct levels - Consortium, Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and external independent evaluation. The purpose of M&E was to track the results and facilitate faster and smoother implementation of the sub-projects.

## Outcome of the assessment:

- Researchers have learnt to shift from uni-discipline mode of functioning to multidisciplinary research in National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) and now multi-organizations collaborations in NAIP.
- Researchers have understood about harnessing comparative advantage in action research.
- Public sector organizations could leverage on the ability of the NGOs in mobilizing people in difficult areas and executing action research.
- Researchers thought out of box towards post funding sustainability of the projects in terms of sustainability fund, social mobilization, self-help and producer groups.

Some of the steps taken by the Government under NAIP to help farmers to overcome their difficulties by imparting new  strategies and innovative solutions through  some sustainability plans are given below.

- Efforts were made  for Creation of sustainability fund, where  beneficiary farmers' contribution for the goods and services delivered to them individually under the project and an amount of Rs 7.51 crores was generated by all the Consortia of NAIP.
- Millet  foods  value  chain  sub-project  at  the  Directorate  of  Sorghum  Research  (DSR)  has received  support  from  the  Initiative  for  Nutritional  Security  through  Intensive  Millets Programme (INSIMP) for further research  in  millets  and  its  promotion  for  the  benefit  of farmers.
- NAIP  Saffron  value  chain  sub-project  at  the  Sher-E-Kashmir  University  of  Agriculture Science  and  Technology  (SKUAST)-Kashmir  was  further  supported  from  the  National Saffron Mission for the procurement of saffron from Jammu and Kashmir farmers.

- To  promote  flowers  and  agroforestry,  sub-projects  at  Tamil  Nadu  Agriculture  University (TNAU)  have  evolved  as  sustainable  business  models,  and  MoUs  worth  Rs10.0  crore were undertaken.
- The  Pashmina  project  at  SKUAST-Kashmir  has  received  Rs10  crore  support  from  the Central Wool Board to promote pashmina production and further research.
- The  sub-project  on  small  pelagic  and  freshwater  fish  at  the  Central  Institute  for  Fish Technology,  Cochin  has  received  support  from  the  Fisheries  Department  of  Kerala Government for further research.

(e) To  accelerate  the  sustainable  transformation  of  Indian  agriculture  in  support  of poverty alleviation and  income  generation  the  following step were  taken by  Union Government.

The Government has adopted several developmental programmes, schemes, reforms and policies that focus on higher incomes for the farmers. All these policies & programmes are being supported by higher budgetary allocations, non-budgetary financial resources by way  of  creating  Corpus  Funds  like  Micro  Irrigation  Fund  and  Agri-marketing  Fund  to strengthen eNAM and GrAMs, Market Reforms like Model APLMC (Promotion & Facilitation) Act,  2017,  Establishment  of 22,000 number of Gramin Agriculture Markets (GrAMs), AgriExport Policy, The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Act., 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act.,  2020, Amendments to Essential Commodities Act, 1955, Promotion of 10,000 FPOs and supplementary income transfers under PM-KISAN, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna  (PMFBY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojna  (PMKSY),  Increase  in  Minimum Support Price (MSPs) for all Kharif & Rabi Crops, Har Med Par Ped, Bee-Keeping, Rashtriya Gokul Mission, Blue Revolution, Interest Subvention Scheme, Kisan Credit Card (KCC), etc. The latest major intervention includes the 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat - Agriculture' which includes comprehensive market reforms and creation of 'Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF)' worth Rs.  1.00  lakh  crores.  In  the  Budget  Announcement  2021-22,  allocation  to  Micro  Irrigation Fund has been doubled to Rs 10000.00 crores and Institutional Credit has been increased to Rs 16.50 lakh crores.

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