1.12. Major Schemes/Programmes for the Agricultural Sector

The central government has undertaken many schemes for enhancing productivity and exploring untapped potential of the agricultural sector. The central government supplements the efforts of state governments through centrally sponsored and central-sector schemes.

National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology (NMAET)

Agricultural productivity has a positive correlation with level of farm mechanization. For accelerated growth in farm mechanization in the current decade, there is a need to include the large community of small and marginal farmers into the fold of cost effective and remunerative mechanized farming, to help sustain desired agricultural growth and to enhance agricultural productivity.

Agricultural Technology, including the adoption/ promotion of critical inputs, and improved agronomic practices were being disseminated under 17 different schemes of the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation during the 11th Plan. The Modified Extension Reforms Scheme was introduced in 2010 with the objective of strengthening extension machinery and utilizing it for synergizing interventions under these schemes under the umbrella of the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA).

The NMAET has been envisaged as the next step towards this objective through the amalgamation of these schemes.

NMAET consists of 4 Sub Missions:

1. Sub Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE)

2. Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)

3. Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)

4. Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine (SMPP)

The common threads running across all 4 Sub-Missions in NMAET are Extension and Technology. Therefore, while 4 separate Sub-Missions are being proposed for administrative convenience, these are inextricably linked to each other at the field level and most components thereof have to be disseminated among farmers and other stakeholders through a strong extension network.

The aim of the Mission is to restructure and strengthen agricultural extension to enable delivery of appropriate technology and improved agronomic practices to farmers. This is envisaged to be achieved by a judicious mix of extensive physical outreach and interactive methods of information dissemination, use of ICT, popularisation of modern and appropriate technologies, capacity building and institution strengthening to promote mechanisation, availability of quality seeds, plant protection etc. and encourage aggregation of Farmers into Interest Groups (FIGs) to form Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).

1.12.1. National Food Security Mission

With an aim to enhance the production of rice, wheat, and pulses by 10, 8, and 2 million tonnes respectively, government had launched NFSM-Rice, NFSM-Wheat and NFSM-Pulses in 2007-08. During 2012-13, a Special Plan to achieve 19+ million tonnes of pulses production during Kharif 2012 was launched by the government. The programme also aimed at area expansion and productivity enhancement; restoring soil fertility and productivity; creating employment opportunities; and enhancing farm-level economy to restore the confidence of farmers of targeted districts.