Lok Sabha Question No. 540 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-06
Subject: Benefits of Hydroponic Innovations
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: V. Kalanidhi

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.540 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 06 TH  FEBRUARY, 2024

## BENEFITS OF HYDROPONIC INNOVATIONS

540. Dr. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government acknowledges the improved sustainability of plants grown through hydroponic innovations compared to traditional methods; (b) if  so,  the  details  of  initiatives  and  programmes  proposed  by  the  Government  to encourage their use and if not, the reasons therefor; (c) whether the Government has looked into the minimal water and space requirements of  hydroponics  as  compared  to  other  traditional  techniques  of  agriculture  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and (d) if not, whether the Government is looking to undertake such a study to ascertain the

- scalability of hydroponics in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA) confined to urban farming, rooftop gardening and commercial farming.

(a) to (d) :  Hydroponics  is  a  viable  alternative  to  traditional  farming  methods  for  soil  less cultivation  for  enhancing  productivity  and  water  use  efficiency  in  places  of  water  scarcity and  soil  born  diseases.  Hydroponics  is  a  new  concept  in  India  and  is  gaining  popularity among entrepreneurs and innovative farmers for sustainable and commercial cultivation of crops,  at  places  with  limited  natural  resources.  At  present,  this  technology  is  mostly Under  National  Horticulture  Board  (NHB)  i.e.,  a  sub-scheme  of  Mission  for  Integrated Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH),  assistance  is  provided  to  farmers  using  hydroponic methods of farming as per the cost norms of protected cultivation.

Further,  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)-  Indian  Institute  of  Horticulture Research (IIHR), Bengaluru has developed a variant of hydroponics, 'Cocoponics' or the Soilless production of vegetables using cocopeat as a substrate, which has been found to be comparatively successful in vegetable crops. The Institute has developed the complete production  technology  including  a  liquid  nutrient  formulation  (ArkaSasyaPoshakRas)  for soilless  cultivation  of  various  vegetables.  The  Institute  is  providing  hands  on  training  to interested farmers and entrepreneurs on this technology. More than 3000 urban dwellers, cocopeat producers, hydroponics start up etc., have been trained at ICAR-IIHR during last 3 years through various capacity building programmes.

ICAR-Central  Institute  of  Subtropical  Horticulture  (CISH),  Lucknow  is  also  engaged  in indigenous structural design of hydroponics and development of package of practices for sustainable  and  cost  effective  hydroponic  crop  production  in  sub  tropical  region.  The Institute  has  evaluated  four  hydroponic  systems  (nutrient  film  techniques,  Ebb  and  flow technique, drip hydroponic techniques and geoponics techniques) for high value vegetable production.

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