Financial assistance to farmers practicing organic farming

The Government of India is promoting balanced use of fertilizers with organic and biofertilizers based on soil test based recommendation. The Government is implementing a scheme called “Pradhan Mantri Program for Revival, Awareness, Nutrition and Improvement of Mother Earth (PM-PRANAM)” to encourage States and Union Territories to promote the use of alternative fertilizers like organic and biofertilizers for improving soil health and fertility and sustainable productivity. Under the program, State Governments will be given incentives up to 50 per cent of the fertilizer subsidy savings for promoting organic and natural farming and organic fertilizers.

The Government has also announced market development assistance at the rate of Rs. 1,500 per metric ton for use of fermented organic manure, liquid fermented organic manure and organic fertilizers.

The Government has been promoting organic farming on priority basis since 2015-16 through the schemes of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region to improve soil health and water holding capacity in the country. Both the schemes focus on providing all types of support to farmers engaged in organic farming from production to processing, certification and marketing and post-harvest management training and capacity building and also focus on sustainable agriculture.

Under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, a total assistance of Rs 31,500 per hectare for a period of three years is provided for promoting organic farming, which includes various components like training and capacity building, data management, Participatory Guarantee System-India certification, value addition, marketing and promotion. Out of this, assistance of Rs 15,000 per hectare for a period of three years is provided to farmers through direct bank transfer for on-farm/off-farm organic investment.

While under Organic Value Chain Development Mission for North Eastern Region, a total assistance of Rs. 46,500 per hectare is provided for 3 years for supporting farmers for formation of Farmer Producer Organization, organic inputs, quality seeds/planting material and training, guidance and certification. Out of this, the scheme provides assistance to farmers for off-farm/on-farm organic inputs at the rate of Rs. 32500 per hectare for 3 years, out of which Rs. 15,000 is given as direct bank transfer to farmers and Rs. 17,500 for planting material to farmers by State Lead Agency (SPA).

National Centre for Organic and Natural Farming and its Regional Centres for Organic and Natural Farming located at Ghaziabad, Nagpur, Bangalore, Imphal and Bhubaneswar are conducting various Human Resource Development training programmes such as one day farmer training, two day training for extension officers/staff, two day training on Participatory Guarantee System-India, 30 days certificate course, one day Organic and Natural Farmer’s Conference for 500 participants, one day stakeholder consultation/conference on Natural Farming for 100 participants, upgradation programme on natural farming and awareness programmes across the country to disseminate information on organic and natural farming as well as on-farm production and use of various types of organic and bio-fertilizers. National Centre for Organic and Natural Farming (NCONF) and Regional Centres for Organic and Natural Farming (RCONF) also conduct online awareness campaigns and training programmes on organic and natural farming and production and use of organic and bio-fertilizers.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research also provides training and organizes advance demonstrations, awareness programmes etc. to educate farmers about organic farming through the network of Krishi Vigyan Kendras.