Background

    • The National Development Council (NDC) in its 53rd meeting held on 29th May, 2007 adopted a resolution to launch a Food Security Mission comprising rice, wheat and pulses to increase the annual production of rice by 10 million tonnes, wheat by 8 million tonnes and pulses by 2 million tonnes by the end of the Eleventh Plan (2011-12).

    • Accordingly, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme National Food Security Mission (NFSM) was launched in 2007-08 to increase the production of rice, wheat and pulses through area expansion and productivity enhancement

    • Other objectives include restoring soil fertility and productivity at the individual farm level and enhancing farm level economy to restore confidence amongst the farmers.

    • Coarse cereals were included from 2014-15 under NFSM.

    • The Mission was continued during 12th Five Year Plan with target of additional production of 25 million tonnes of food grains comprising of 10 million tonnes of rice, 8 million tonnes of wheat, 4 million tonnes of pulses and 3 million tonnes of coarse cereals by the end of XII Plan.

    • Beyond the 12th Plan, the mission was continued with new additional targets of 13 million tonnes of food grains comprising 5 million tonnes of rice, 3 million tonnes of wheat, 3 million tonnes of pulses and 2 million tonnes of nutri-cum-coarse cereals from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

    • NFSM presently comprises of the sub-components viz., NFSM-Rice, NFSM-Wheat, NFSM-Pulses, NFSM-Coarse Cereals, NFSM-NFSM-Nutri-Cereals and NFSM-Commercial Crops.

    • Currently, NFSM is being implemented in identified districts of 28 States & 2 Union Territories (UTs) viz. Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh in the country.

Initiatives and Achievements

    • Assistance is being provided to the farmers for organizing cluster demonstrations on improved package of practices, demonstrations on cropping system.

    • To spread the newer improved crop production technologies around 80.00 ha area has been covered under technology demonstrations of food grains crops such as rice, wheat, pulses & coarse cum nutria-cereals from 2014-15 to 2019-20.

    • Under the Mission, Seed distribution of HYVs, farm machineries/resources conservation machineries/tools, efficient water application tools, plant protection, nutrient management, cropping system based trainings to the farmers etc. are provided.

    • From the year, 2020-21, primary processing units/small storage bins/flexibility interventions have been added as per local requirements with the aim of increasing the income of the farmers.

    • Focused attention for improving the seed replacement rate and varietal replacement is given in the Mission.

    • Mini kits of the latest varieties are distributed free of charge to farmer’s doorstep through the central seed agencies.

    • To increase the seed replacement rate (SRR) of improved varieties of food grains, about 74 lakh quintals of certified seed of high yielding varieties/ hybrids of rice, wheat, pulses & coarse cereals were distributed under NFSM from 2014-15 to 2019-20.

    • To ensure the good quality seed of pulses & nutria-cereals at the farmer’s doorstep about 16 lakh quintals of certified seed of pulses & nutri-cereals were produced from 2014-15 to 2019-20.

    • The Mission has been able to achieve around 110 lakh ha area to be treated with Micronutrients, Bio-fertilizers, soil ameliorants/ (Gypsum/Lime/others) from 2014-15 to 2019-2020.

    • Around 120 lakh ha area under Integrated Pest Management (IPM) were achieved during from 2014-15 to 2019-20. 

    • To strengthen mechanization at farmer’s field about 15 lakh improved farm implements were distributed under NFSM from 2014-15 to 2019-2020.

    • To achieve objective of “har khet ko pani” & “Per Drop More Crop”, 274600 pump sets, 126967 sprinklers and around 764 lakh metres of water carrying pipes were distributed amongst the farmers under NFSM from 2014-15 to 2019-2020.

    • To educate farmers about the newer improved crop production and protection technologies at real time, 60677 cropping system based trainings for capacity building of farmers were conducted from 2014-15 to 2019-2020 and this benefitted around 18 lakh of farmers.

    • During 2014-15 to 2019-20, a sum of Rs.8760.81 crores has been released under the scheme to the States and other implementing institutions as Central share.

    • Due to the concerted effort by the State and Central government it has resulted in increase of total foodgrains production from 252.02 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 296.65 million tonnes during 2019-20, which is a 17.71% increase. 

    • The productivity of foodgrains which was 2028 kg/ha in 2014-15, has increased to 2325 kg/ha during 2019-20 (14.64% increase).

    • Especially noteworthy is the production of pulses which has increased from 17.15 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 23.15 million tonnes in 2019-20 which is about 35% increase.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)