Lok Sabha Question No. 650 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-06
Subject: Data of Farmers Practicing Organic and Natural Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 650

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 6 Th  FEBRUARY, 2024

## DATA OF FARMERS PRACTICING ORGANIC AND NATURAL FARMING

650. SHRI VINAYAK RAUT: SHRI SANJAY JADHAV:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  data  of  the  farmers  who  have  adopted  natural  and organic farming system in the country, if so, the details thereof and the percentage thereto in each of the States;
- (b) whether the Government has increased or proposes to increase existing incentives for the farmers indulged in natural and organic farming, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has made efforts to increase the sale of manures other than bio-fertilizers for the use of the farmers;

- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the present status of the natural and organic farming system in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

(a): Government  is  promoting  organic  farming  without  use  of  chemical  fertilisers  in  the country since 2015-16 through the schemes of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and  Mission  Organic  Value  Chain  Development  for  North  Eastern  Region  (MOVCDNER). PKVY is being implemented in all the States across the country except the  North Eastern (NE) States.  MOVCDNER scheme is being implemented exclusively in the NE States for promotion  of  organic  farming.  Both  the  schemes  stress  on  end-to-end  support  to  farmers engaged in  organic  farming  i.e.  from  production  to  processing,  certification  and  marketing and  post-harvest  management.  Training  and  Capacity  Building  are  integral  part  of  the scheme. Incentives to farmers for producing and using organic fertilizers/manure are inbuilt in these  schemes  as  on-farm  and  off-farm  organic  inputs.    Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT)  is provided to the farmers for using organic inputs.

Government  is  promoting  natural  farming  since  2019-2020  through  a  sub-scheme namely Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). So far 4.09 lakh ha area has been sanctioned for natural farming in 8 states under BPKP across the country. An area of 1.48 lakh ha have also been sanctioned for promotion of  natural  farming  along  the  Ganga  Corridor  under  Namami  Gange  Project.  To  motivate farmers  to  adopt  natural  farming  and  to  enhance  the  reach  of  natural  farming,  the Government has formulated National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) as a separate and independent scheme by up scaling the BPKP.

The  schemes  for  Natural  and  Organic  Farming  are  implemented  through  the  State Governments and the data of the farmers who have adopted Natural and Organic Farming are available with the States Governments/ UTs.

However, a total of 40.99 lakh farmers have been registered under organic farming across the country as certified by National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and Participatory Guarantee System (PGS).

(b): No  such  demand  has  been  received  from  any  stakeholder  for  increasing  existing incentives for farmers indulged in natural and organic farming.

(c) & (d): Government of India is encouraging the use of organic fertilizer including the Fermented  Organic  Manure  (FOM).  Government  has  approved  the  Market  Development Assistance (MDA) @ Rs. 1500/MT to promote organic fertilizers, i.e., manure produced at plants under GOBARdhan  initiative covering different  Biogas/CBG  support  schemes/ programmes  of stakeholder Ministries/ Departments such as Sustainable Alternative Towards  Affordable Transportation (SATAT)  scheme  of MoPNG,  'Waste  to  Energy' programme of MNRE, Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural) of DDWS, etc. with total outlay of Rs. 1451.84  Crore  (FY  2023-24  to  2025-26),  which  includes  a  corpus  of  Rs.  360  Crore  for research  gap  funding,  etc.  It  will  promote  integrated  nutrient  management  and  reduce overuse of chemical fertilizers ensuring sustainability, soil health and better use efficiency of inputs. Government  has  also approved  PM  Programme  for  Restoration,  Awareness Generation,  Nourishment  and  Amelioration  of  Mother-Earth  (PM-PRANAM).  The  initiative aims  to  save  the  health  of  Mother  Earth  by  promoting  sustainable  and  balanced  use  of fertilizers, adopting alternate fertilizers, promoting organic farming and implementing resource conservation technologies.

(e): A total of 64.04 lakh ha area has been brought under organic farming as certified by National  Programme  for  Organic  Production  (NPOP)  and  Participatory  Guarantee  System (PGS).

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