Lok Sabha Question No. 2052 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-11
Subject: Procedure for Enrolling in National Mission on Natural Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Jagdambika Pal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2052

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 Th  MARCH, 2025

## PROCEDURE FOR ENROLLING IN NATIONAL MISSION ON NATURAL FARMING

## 2052. SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

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

- (a) whether there any specific forms, documents or prerequisites required for applying for a small farmer interested in transitioning to natural farming under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) and is there any clear step-by-step process to enroll their land and whom  to  approach-Gram  Panchayat,  Block,  the  development  Office,  or  Krishi  Vigyan Kendra (KVK), if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the enrolments are open year-round or are season-specific, if a farmer misses the cluster deadline, can they enroll individually or in the next cycle, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether there are any designated officials or Krishi Sakhis to assist farmers, and how accessible are these resource persons for those in remote areas; if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the farmers receive training immediately, or have to wait for cluster formation;
- (e) the details of financial or technical assistance guaranteed upon enrolment or are linked to milestones; and
- (f) the manner in which does the Ministry ensure small landholders are not excluded from NMNF due to procedural or logistical barriers?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a): Under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), identification of clusters is done by States/UTs. Each cluster is linked to a Training Institution, viz. Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Agriculture Universities or Local Natural Farming Institutions. Provision has been made for deployment of Krishi Sakhis/ Community Resource Persons (CRPs) in the cluster to assist farmers and enroll them.
- (b): New farmers can join the natural farming cluster at the beginning of each crop season.
- (c): Each State/ UT will designate two Krishi Sakhis/ CRPs per selected cluster.

(d): States/UTs identify clusters to initiate NMNF activities.  Trainings to farmers in selected clusters is envisaged as an ongoing activity.

(e): For the trained farmers, output based incentive is envisaged in the scheme. This is to promote NF package of practices like pre monsoon dry sowing, application of NF inputs like Beejamrut, Jeevamrut, etc., diversified cropping system, etc. Each farmer can initiate NF in small landholding, and will be eligible for support under NMNF upto a maximum area of one acre.

(f): All  farmers,  including  small  and  marginal  farmers,  are  eligible  to  avail  the  benefits under  the  NMNF.  Further,  the  Mission  Unit  at  Centre/  State,  District  and  Block  Level Monitoring Committees are mandated to conduct regular monitoring of farm-level indicators, farmer progression and extension of NF across all the clusters.

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