Lok Sabha Question No. 1929 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-11
Subject: Comparative Studies of  Farming Practices
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Naveen Jindal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1929

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 TH  MARCH, 2025

## COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF FARMING PRACTICES

1929. SHRI NAVEEN JINDAL:

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

- (a) the  detailed  comparative  merits  and  demerits  of  conventional  organic  and  natural farming practices and the amount of various subsidies for which a farmer is entitled to when she/he follows a particular practice, viz. conventional, organic and natural farming;
- (b) the  details  of  the  policy  of  the  Government  with  regards  to  encouraging  farming practices which are more environment friendly, eco friendly, farmers friendly and consumer friendly; and
- (c) the short term, medium term and long term strategies put in place for achievement of the stated objectives of the chosen policy, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a) & (b): Conventional, Organic and Natural Farming practices are adopted by farmers as per  local  agro  climatic  conditions,  agricultural  practices  in  vogue,  personal  preferences  of farmers,  linkage with markets & demand for agri-produce.  Each of the farming practices fulfil the  diverse  needs  in  different  agricultural  zones,  hence  no  standardised  comparison  is maintained centrally.

To encourage environment friendly, eco friendly, farmer's friendly and consumer friendly farming  practices,  Government  is  promoting  organic  farming  through  Paramparagat  Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) (in all the States/UTs except North Eastern States) and, Mission Organic Value  Chain  Development  for  North  Eastern  Region  (MOVCDNER)  scheme.  Both  the schemes  stress  on  end-to-end  support  to  farmers  engaged  in  organic  farming  i.e.  from production to post-harvest management training and capacity building. The main focus of the PKVY and MOVCDNER  scheme is to promote natural resource based integrated and climate resilient sustainable farming systems. This ensures maintenance and increase of soil fertility, natural   resource  conservation,  on-farm  nutrient  recycling  and  minimize  dependence  of farmers on external inputs.   Under PKVY, States/UTs are provided financial assistance of Rs. 31,500/ha in total in 3 years in the organic clusters out of which, Rs. 15,000/ha is provided directly  to  farmers  through  Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT)  for  on-farm  and  off-farm  organic inputs, Rs. 4,500/ha for marketing, packaging, branding, value addition etc., Rs. 3,000/ha for certification and residue analysis and Rs. 9,000/ha for training and capacity building. Under MOVCDNER, assistance of Rs. 46,500/ha in total in 3 years is provided for creation of Farmers Producer Organization, support to farmers for organic inputs etc. Out of this, assistance @ Rs. 32,500/ ha is provided to farmers for off -farm /on -farm organic inputs including Rs. 15,000 as DBT to the farmers. Farmers can avail maximum 2 ha area under both the schemes.

National  Mission  on  Natural  Farming  (NMNF)  is  a  centrally  sponsored  scheme  that envisages the formation of 15,000 NF clusters in 7.5 lakh ha area.  For easy availability of natural farming inputs to the farmers, 10,000 need-based Bio-input Resource Centres (BRCs) are envisaged under the Mission. For the trained farmers, output based incentive of ₹4,000 per  acre  per  farmer  per  year  upto  2  years  is  provisioned  in  the  scheme  for  practicing  NF package of practices.    Each  farmer  can  initiate  NF  in  small  landholding  and  is  eligible  for support upto a maximum area of 1 acre.

(c): The envisaged target to cover area under organic farming under PKVY scheme is 6.0 lakh ha and under MOVCDNER 0.5 lakh ha area during the period from 2021-2022 to 20252026 where-as the target to cover area under natural farming has been set as 7.5 lakh ha. area during the period from 2022-2023 to 2025-2026.

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