Lok Sabha Question No. 3184 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-08
Subject: Natural Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Bhagirath Chaudhary

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3184

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 8 Th  AUGUST, 2023

## NATURAL FARMING

3184. SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ǒष एवं Ǒकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is promoting natural farming as chemical free farming;
- (b) if so, the details of areas taken under  natural farming, State-wise;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  come  up  with  a  new  programme  for  certification  of default organic farming areas like remote, hilly, islands areas to save conversion time, the details thereof;
- (d) whether there is any initiative of Government to provide organic farming certification support to individual farmers which is not a part of existing organic farming schemes and if so, the criteria for getting the assistance; and
- (e) the  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  alternative/innovative  fertilizers which help in reducing the excessive consumption of urea in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ǒष एवं Ǒकसान कãयाण मंğी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) & (b): Government  is  promoting  natural  farming  since  2019-2020  through  a  subscheme namely Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). Natural farming is chemical free farming based on the integrated agriculture and animal husbandry approach using livestock and local resources and relies on on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching, use of on-farm cow dungurine formulations from local livestock's. So far, 4.09 lakh ha area has been brought under natural  farming  in  8  states  viz.  Andhra  Pradesh,  Chhattisgarh,  Kerala,  Himachal  Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu under BPKP.
- (c): Government  has  initiated  a  new  programme,  called  Large  Area  Certification  (LAC) since 2020-21 under Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)- India programme under PKVY scheme to certify large traditional/default organic areas such as hills, islands, tribal or desert belt with no past history of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) and agro chemical usage. Traditional  organic  area  are  declared  as  organic  without  undergoing  conversion  period. Under  LAC  14,445  ha  area  under  Car  Nicobar  and  Nancowry  group  of  islands  in  Union Territory  of  A&N Islands has been covered. 5000 ha area of Ladakh and 2700 ha area of Lakshadweep has been brought under LAC.
- (d): The  scope  of  PGS  certification  has  been  extended  to  certification  of  Individual farmers.  Under  PKVY  scheme,  provision  has  been  made  for  providing  assistance  of  Rs. 2700/ha  for  3  years  for  Participatory  Guarantee  System  (PGS)  certification  to  individual farmers.  States  are  required  to  identify  individual  farmers  and  encourage  them  to  register with concerned Regional Council (RC) under PGS- India programme. Enrolled farmers will have to register on the Jaivik Kheti Portal with their C-1 status. State will access the details of farmers from jaivik kheti portal. Based on state-wise registration and verification, funds are provided as reimbursement directly to RCs. In case a farmer is having land less than 1.00 ha, then the cost will be calculated on prorata basis.
- (e): For reducing excessive consumption of urea, under Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, Government is  promoting  Integrated  Nutrient  Management  (INM)  through  judicious  use  of chemical fertilizers in conjunction with bio-fertilizers and organic manures for improving soil health, fertility and productivity. Under PKVY & MOVCDNER scheme organic fertilizers and bio-fertilizers  are  used  for  organic  farming  which  reduces  the  excess  consumption  of chemical fertilizers including urea.

The State-wise details of area under BPKP is as under .

| Sl. No.   | States           |   Area in Ha |
|-----------|------------------|--------------|
| 1.        | Andhra Pradesh   |       100000 |
| 2.        | Chhattisgarh     |        85000 |
| 3.        | Kerala           |        84000 |
| 4.        | Himachal Pradesh |        12000 |
| 5         | Jharkhand        |         3400 |
| 6.        | Odisha           |        24000 |
| 7.        | Madhya Pradesh   |        99000 |
| 8.        | Tamil Nadu       |         2000 |
| Total     | Total            |       409400 |

Government has announced 'PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment  and  Amelioration  of  Mother  Earth  (PM-PRANAM)'  to  incentivize  States  and Union Territories to  promote alternative fertilizers  and  balanced  use  of  chemical fertilizers. Under this programme, 50% of subsidy savings will be passed on as a grant to the state for promotion of organic and natural farming and organic fertilizers.

To  promote  the  use  of  organic  manures,  Government  has  announced  Market Development Assistance (MDA) @ Rs 1500/tonnes for Fermented Organic Manure (FOM), Liquid  Organic  Manure  (LOM)  and  Phosphate  Rich  Organic  Manure  (PROM)  which  will reduce the excessive consumption of urea.

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