Lok Sabha Question No. 4531 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-28
Subject: Food Security of the Nation
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Adala Prabhakara Reddy, Kotagiri Sridhar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-4531

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 28 TH  MARCH, 2023

## FOOD SECURITY OF THE NATION

## 4531. SHRI ADALA PRABHAKARA REDDY: SHRI SRIDHAR KOTAGIRI:

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

- (a)  the  details  regarding  Government's  strategy  to  tackle  the  food  security  issue  in  future considering India's prohibition  of  wheat shipments in  May  2022 due to a threat to the food security of the nation, after a record-shattering heat wave damaged wheat yields in several States;

(b) whether the Government plans to provide any form of remuneration to the farmers whose wheat yields were affected;

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

- (d) whether the Government has undertaken any study to look for the ways to protect crops from unprecedented changes in rainfall patterns, droughts and extreme heat that are currently being experienced?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERSWELFARE

क ृ िष एवं िकसान काण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (d): In  order  to  ensure  the  food  security  of  the  country,  the  Government  is  taking various steps like procurement of foodgrains for Public Distribution System (PDS) operation, maintain  buffer  stock,modernization  &  upgradation  of  storage  facilities  etc.  Further,  the Government is implementing various schemes like National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Samman  Nidhi  (PM-KISAN), Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY),  Soil  Health  Card  (SHC),  National Agriculture  Market  (e-NAM),  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY),  Pradhan  Matri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana (PMKMY), Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan  Abhiyan  (PM-AASHA),  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture (MIDH),  Agricultural  Technology  Management  Agency  (ATMA),  Rainfed  Area  Development (RAD) Programme under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Scheme for promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), National Bee Keeping Honey Mission (NBHM), Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) etc. for the wellbeing of farmers which provide assistance on production, protection, post harvest processing, value addition, market linkage etc. for foodgrain crops including wheat.

The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) is being implemented in all the 28 states and 2 Union Territories with the objective of enhancing foodgrain production including wheat. The NFSM-Wheat is being implemented in 10 States and 2 Union Territories viz; Jammu & Kashmir and Ladkah. The country's wheat production during 2022-23 is 112.18 million tonnes (as per 2nd Advance estimates) which is 4.44 million tonnes additional production over the previous year i.e., 2021-22.

Further,  the  ICAR-Indian  Institute  of  Wheat  and  Barley  Research  (IIWBR),  Karnal  is working  on  developing  climate  resilient  varieties  and  also  keeping  strict  vigil  on  disease situation  in  the  country.    During  2014  to  2023,  a  total  of  156  wheat  varieties  have  been released. The wheat varieties such as DBW303, DBW187 etc. have average yield of 8 tonnes per hectare. Further, 28 bio-fortified varieties of wheat have been developed by ICAR which are rich in multi-nutrients such as DBW327, DBW332, DDW47 etc.

The State Governments are primarily responsible for taking immediate measures in the wake  of  all  natural  calamities.  To  address  the  adverse  effect  of  natural  risks  on  crops, Government  ensures  comprehensive  risk  cover  for  crops  of  farmers  against  all  nonpreventable natural  risks  including  heat  waves,  pest  and  diseases  from  pre-sowing  to  post harvest  stage  under  the  Pradhan  Mantri  FasalBima  Yojana  (PMFBY)  which  is  being implemented in the country from Kharif 2016. It is voluntary scheme for state and farmers.

To meet the challenges of sustaining domestic food production in the face of changing  climate, the Indian Council of Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government  of India has launched a flagship network project namely  National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA). The project aims to study the impact of climate change on agriculture including crops, livestock, horticulture and fisheries and to develop and promote climate  resilient  technologies  in  agriculture  which  will  address  vulnerable  areas  of  the country and  the outputs of the project will help the districts and  regions prone  to extreme  weather  conditions  like  droughts,  floods,  frost,  heat  waves,  etc.  to  cope  with such extremes.

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