 Macro Management of Agriculture Agriculture being a State subject, the primary responsibility for increasing agriculture production, enhancing productivity and exploring the vast untapped potential of the sector rests with the States. The role of the Centre is to compliment and supplement their efforts in a catalytic way so that the efforts of the States in agricultural development yield quick results and benefits percolate down to the poorest farmers. The Macro Management of Agriculture Scheme which was evolved by integrating 27 identified schemes is being implemented in all States/Union Territories since 2000-01. Under this scheme, the states have been given flexibility to develop and pursue activities on the basis of their regional priorities.
Natural Resource Management
Soil and Water Conservation measures are one of the essential inputs for increasing agricultural output in the country. These programmes were first launched during the First Plan. From the very beginning, emphasis has been on development of technology for problem identification, enactment of appropriate legislation and constitution of policy coordination bodies. While conceptual framework of soil and water conservation activities has been changed, concept of programmes has undergone considerable revision during successive Five-Year Plans.
The Centrally-sponsored Scheme of Soil Conservation in the catchments of River Valley Project (RVP) was started in Third Five-Year Plan. Subsequently another scheme of Flood-Prone Rivers (FPR) was started in the Sixth Five Year Plan keeping in view the magnitude of floods in the year 1978. Now, both schemes have been clubbed together during the Ninth Five-Year Plan on recommendation of Expenditure Finance Committee and further subsumed under Macro Management Mode since November 2000.
A Centrally-sponsored Scheme of reclamation of alkali soil was taken up in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh during the Seventh Five-Year Plan. The scheme was further extended to the States of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan during the Eighth Five-Year Plan. During Ninth Plan extension of the scheme to all other States of India was approved where alkali soil problems exist as per scientific parameter. The scheme aims at improving physical conditions and productivity status of alkali soils for restoring optimum crop production. The major components of the scheme include, assured irrigation water on farm development works like land levelling, bunding and ploughing, community drainage system, application of soil amendment organic manures, etc. The scheme at present, stands subsumed in Macro Management Scheme.
The scheme of Watershed Development Project in Shifting Cultivation Areas (WDPSCA) was launched in seven north-eastern States during the Eighth Plan from 1994-95 with 100 per cent Central assistance to the State Plan. The scheme aims at overall development of jhum areas on watershed basis.
Rainfed Farming
Rainfed Farming is complex, diverse and risk prone and is characterised by low levels of productivity and low input uses. The Government has accorded high priority to the holistic and sustainable development of rainfed areas through integrated watershed development approach. The key attributes of the watershed approach are conservation of rain water and optimisation of soil and water resources in a sustainable and cost-effective mode. Improved moisture management increases the productivity of improved seeds and fertiliser. So conservation and productivity enhancing measures become complementary.
A National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Area (NWDPRA) was launched in 1990-91 in 25 states and two UTs. The project was continued during Ninth Five Year Plan in 29 states inclusive of three newly created states and two UTs with the purpose of increasing agriculture productivity and production in rainfed areas. The guidelines for NWDPRA has been radically restructured by retaining the technical strength and incorporating community participation. The watershed development programme is now planned, implemented, monitored and maintained by watershed communities.
A Watershed Development Fund (WDF) has been established at NABARD with the objective of integrated watershed development in 100 priority districts of 18 States through participatory approach.
Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)
The main concern of INM Division is to ensure adequate availability of quality fertilizers to farmers through periodical demand assessment and timely supply through ECA allocations, promoting soil test based judicious and balanced use of chemical fertilizers in conjunction with organic manures and bio-fertilizers, promotion of organic farming and ensuring quality control of fertilizers through implementation of Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985, to give additional thrust on integrated use of all sources of plant nutrients through chemical fertilisers and organic manures, etc.
India is the third largest producer and consumer of fertilizers in the world after China and USA. Against 16.8 million tonnes of fertilizer nutrients (NPK) consumed during 2003-04, the nutrient consumption is estimated at 18.7 million tonnes during 2004-05. India is 100 per cent self sufficient in respect of urea and about 95 per cent in case of DAP. All-India average fertilizer consumption is 89.9 kg./ha though there is wide variation from State to State. from 184 kg/ha in Punjab, 167 kg/ha in Haryana to less than 10 kg/ha in States like Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, etc. Considering the skewed pattern of fertilizer use, Government of India is promoting the balanced and integrated use of Fertilizer nutrients through various initiatives. As a result, NPK consumption ratio has improved to 6.5:2.5:1 during 2003-04 from 7.0:2.7:1 during 2000-01.
National Project on Organic Farming
A new scheme, ‘National Project on Organic Farming’ has been taken up in October 2004 with an outlay of Rs 57.05 crore for production, promotion, market development of organic farming in the country during the remaining period of the Tenth Plan. The main components of the Scheme are:
- Putting in place a system of certification of organic produce.
- Capacity building through service providers.
- Financial support for commercial production units for production of organic inputs like :
(a) fruits and vegetable waste compost units;
(b) biofertilizers production; and
(c) hatcheries for vermi-culture.
- Promotion and extension of Organic farming.
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