Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), launched in 2015, is a component of Soil Health Management (SHM) under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). The scheme aims at supporting and promoting organic farming, that results in the improvement of soil health. Lets us examine the features of the scheme.

Objective of the Scheme

Promote organic farming among rural youth, farmers, consumers and traders.
Disseminate latest technologies in organic farming.
To utilise the services of experts from the public agricultural research system in India.
Organise a minimum of one cluster demonstration in a village.

Key Components of the Scheme

The key components of the scheme are

Model organic cluster development
Model organic farm

Model Organic Cluster Development

Model Organic Cluster Demonstrations intends to boost/ promote organic farming amount rural youth/ consumers/ farmers/ traders by creating awareness on the latest technologies of organic farming. These are held at the farmer's field in clusters of 20 or 50 acres. The demonstrations are monitored by the experts/ scientists from Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Central Agricultural University (CAUs), Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC), National Seed Corporation (NSC), Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs) etc. The funds for the activity are provided by the Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) division of DAC and FW, by submitting action plans by the Zonal Councils/ Regional Councils/ States.

Activities under Model Cluster Demonstrations

Adoption of the Participatory Guarantee System (PSG) Certification:

The mobilisation of farmers/ local people to form clusters in 20 to 50 acres for PGS certification.
PGS certification and quality control.

Manure Management and Biological Nitrogen Harvesting:

Conversion of land into organic.
Integrated Manure Management.
Custom Hiring Centres.
Packing, labelling and branding of produce

Model Organic Farm

The Model Organic Farm focuses on demonstrating the conversion of common land into organic farming practises in one-hectare parcels. This is used to spread information on the latest technologies of various units of organic inputs production through exposure visits to farmers. Since Central and State Government organisations and other public sector organisations have their farms for the demonstration of technologies in several farming practises, the institutions develop model organic farms. A maximum of three model organic farm demonstrations would be allocated to each organisation with a minimum of one farm for one institution in a year. The IAs and funding patterns of a model organic farm are similar to that of the Model Organic Cluster Demonstrations.

Assistance of Pattern

A total assistance of Rs. 14.95 lakhs is provided per cluster for mobilisation, adoption of PGS certification and manure management. Maximum assistance of Rs. 10 lakhs for every cluster of 50 acres or 20 acres subject to a maximum of Rs. 50,000 per farmers per acre is made available to the farmers for activities under the Manure Mangement and Biological Nitrogen Harvesting. From the total assistance, Rs. 4.95 lakhs per cluster is provided to Implementing Agencies (IAs) for mobilisation and adoption of PGS certification and quality control.

Institutional Framework

National Level Implementation

PKVY is implemented by the Organic Farming cell of the Integrated Nutrient Management (Division) of the Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW). National Advisory Committee (NAC) that is managed by the Joint Secretary (INM) is considered to be the apex policy making a body for the scheme. Executive Secretary of the NAC is considered to be the Director, National Centre of Organic Farming (NCOF). Members of the NAC comprises of the Regional Directors of Regional Centre of Organic Farming, Deputy Commissioner (INM), Additional Commissioner, Heads of Zonal Councils, Representatives of Regional Councils and Farmer's consumers. Apart from the DAC&FW, the scheme is provided with the expertise of agricultural research in the country, the involvement of ICAR, SAUs, CAUs, KVKs, NSC, SFAC etc.

State Level Implementation

At the State level, State Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has been executing the scheme with the participation of Regional Councils that ate registered under the PGS-India Certification Programme.

District Level Implementation

Regional Councils (RCs) within the district anchors the implementation of the scheme. A district may consist of one or multiple Regional Councils that are legally registered under Public Trust Act/ Societies Act/ Cooperative Act or Companies Act. Existing NGOs, Organic Certification service providers of State/ Central Government Officers of the State Department of Agriculture, producers, traders, consumers, retailers, societies, Grama Panchayats, Famers and Local Groups with three years of standing in PGS programme are allowed to register as RCs. RCs are approved by the Zonal Councils are identified for the PGS-India Certification Programme. The Local Groups (LGs) would be encouraged to come forward with their own RCs.

Annual Action Plan

Adoption of PGS certification and quality control under the scheme is a three-year programme where the Regional Councils (RCs) have to submit Annual Action Plan (AAP) to the State Department of Agriculture and in turn to the INM Division of the DAC&FW. Upon approval of the action plans of RCs from the States by the Centre, the funds are released to the concerned States that are followed by the Regional Councils. After the release of funds from the Centre and the prescribed State share of 40%, the Regional Councils receive funds for operations. Transfer of funds to the Local Groups/ Farmers is being carried out by the Regional Councils, depending on the progress of activities that are carried out by the Local Groups.

Implementation of the Scheme

District-level functionaries have a significant role in planning the effective implementation of the scheme. The organisation structure of key personnel that are involved in the implementation is given below. [caption id="attachment_76982" align="aligncenter" width="314"]

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana In most states, the Joint Director, Agriculture (JDA) or Deputy Director, Agriculture (DDA) is registered as the Regional Council, to facilitate registration of Local Groups (LGs) for PGS-India Certification and quality control. In certain States, the agencies and societies have been enrolled to administer the scheme. In other States, the scheme is implemented through the Project Director (PD), Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) at the district level.

District Collector/ District Magistrate

The District Collector/ District Magistrate provides overall direction and guidance to implement the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana. The Collector or the Magistrate plays a significant role in motivating farmers to adopt organic farming. The officials can supervise the timely implementation of the scheme, mainly acquiring organic inputs and conduct training programs and exposure visits for Local Groups (LGs) and farmers. For greater focus in implementation, the Districts constitute District Level Executive Committee (DLEC) supervised by the District Collector/ District Magistrate of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Zilla Parishad (ZP). District Agriculture Officer (DAO) is the cadre of Joint Director, Agriculture/ Deputy Director, Agriculture (JDA/ DDA) acts a Member Secretary of DLEC with members from line departments including horticulture, animal husbandry, organic input suppliers etc. DLECs is in existence in few states.