Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2007
PREFACE
The primary focus of this policy is on ‘farmer’ defined holistically and not merely
on agriculture. In that sense, it is much more comprehensive than an Agriculture Policy.
The objective is, inter alia, to improve the economic viability of farming through
substantially improving net income of farmers. Needless to say, there is emphasis on
increased productivity, profitability, institutional support, and improvement of land,
water and support services apart from provisions of appropriate price policy, risk
mitigation measures and so on.
The 53rd meeting of the National Development Council (NDC) held on the 29th
May 2007 was exclusively for addressing issues of the agriculture sector. Government of
India has recently taken several initiatives such as the National Horticulture Mission, the
National Bamboo Mission, reforms in agricultural marketing, the revitalization of
cooperative credit structure and setting up of the National Fisheries Development Board
and the National Rainfed Area Authority. More recently, the National Food Security
Mission and the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (Additional Central Assistance Scheme)
have been approved to substantially enhance investment in agriculture and increase
production and productivity. All these initiatives are in consonance with the intent,
direction and measures suggested in the National Policy for Farmers.
I am confident that the new policy, together with the initiatives already taken by
the government, would help accelerate the overall growth of the sector and improve the
well-being of millions of farmers in the country.
(SHARAD PAWAR)
11 September, 2007
New Delhi
Contents
1 1
Need for Policy Re-Orientation
2 Recent Initiatives 2
3 Major Policy Goals 3
Definition of Farmer 4
4 Asset Reforms to Empower Farmers 4
Land 4
Water 5
Livestock 6
Fisheries 7
Bio-Resources 7
Animal Genetic Resources 9
5 Support Services 9
Science and Technology 9
Agricultural Bio-Security 11
Agro-Meteorology 11
Climate Change 11
Inputs and Services 12
Credit and Insurance 13
Cooperatives 14
Extension, Training and Knowledge Connectivity 15
Social Security 15
Agricultural Prices, Marketing and Trade 16
Integration with Processing and Value Chain 17
17
Curriculum Reform
6 Special Categories of Farmers 18
Tribal Farmers 18
Pastoralists 18
Other Categories 19
Plantation Farmers 19
Island Farmers 19
Urban Farmers 19
7 Special Categories of Farming 19
Organic Farming 19
Green Agriculture 20
Genetically Modified (GM) Crops 20
Protected (Greenhouse) Agriculture 20
8 Special Regions 21
Distress Hotspots 21
Mega Bio-Diversity Areas 21
9 Farmers of the Future 21
10 Attracting Youth 22
11 Other Policy Measures 23
12 Operationalisation of the Policy 24
1
2 RECENT INITIATIVES
2.1 Several significant initiatives have National Rainfed Area Authority; (vii)
already been taken in recent years by the Establishment of the National Fisheries
government to reverse the downward Development Board (NFDB); (viii)
trend in agricultural production and to Watershed Development and Micro
find sustainable solutions for Irrigation Programmes; (ix) Reforms in
strengthening the farmers’ livelihood Agricultural Marketing and
and income. Some of these important Development of Market Infrastructure;
initiatives include: (i) Bharat Nirman; (x) Revitalisation of Cooperative
(ii) National Rural Employment Sector; (xi) Agri-business Development
Guarantee Programme; (iii) National through Venture Capital Participation by
Horticulture Mission; (iv) Expansion of the Small Farmer Agri-business
Institutional Credit to Farmers; (v) Consortium; (xii) Reform and Support
Establishment of the National Bee for Agriculture Extension Services;
Board; (vi) Establishment of the (xiii) National Rural Health Mission;
National Policy for Farmers
3
3.1 The major goals of the National Policy (vii) To complete the unfinished agenda
for Farmers are: in land reforms and to initiate
(i) To improve economic viability of comprehensive asset and aquarian
farming by substantially increasing reforms.
the net income of farmers and to (viii) To mainstream the human and
ensure that agricultural progress is gender dimension in all farm
measured by advances made in policies and programmes.
this income. (ix) To pay explicit attention to
(ii) To protect and improve land, sustainable rural livelihoods.
water, bio-diversity and genetic (x) To foster community-centred food,
resources essential for sustained water and energy security systems
increase in the productivity, in rural India and to ensure
profitability and stability of major nutrition security at the level of
farming systems by creating an every child, woman and man.
economic stake in conservation. (xi) To introduce measures which can
(iii) To develop support services help attract and retain youths in
including provision for seeds, farming and processing of farm
irrigation, power, machinery and products for higher value addition
implements, fertilizers and credit by making it intellectually
at affordable prices in adequate stimulating and economically
quantity for farmers. rewarding.
(iv) To strengthen the bio-security of (xii) To make India a global
crops, farm animals, fish and outsourcing hub in the production
forest trees for safeguarding the and supply of the inputs needed
livelihood and income security of for sustainable agriculture,
farmer families and the health and products and processes developed
trade security of the nation. through biotechnology and
(v) To provide appropriate price and Information and Communication
trade policy mechanisms to Technology (ICT).
enhance farmers’ income. (xiii) To restructure the agricultural
(vi) To provide for suitable risk curriculum and pedagogic
management measures for methodologies for enabling every
adequate and timely compensation farm and home science graduate to
to farmers. become an entrepreneur and to
4.1 The purpose of asset reforms is to ensure (Amendment) Act, 2005, the provision
that every farmer household in villages of appropriate support services to
possesses and/or has access to women farmers has become urgent.
productive assets like land, livestock, Joint pattas for both homestead and
fishpond, homestead farm and/or income agricultural land are essential for
through an enterprise and or market- empowering women to access credit and
driven skills, so that the household other services.
income is increased substantially on a
sustainable basis. This, in turn, would 4.2.2 The Land Acquisition Act would be
ensure nutrition and livelihood security reviewed with particular reference to the
and their education and health assessment of compensation. Prime
requirements. farmland must be conserved for
agriculture except under exceptional
4.2 Land circumstances, provided that the
agencies that are provided with
4.2.1 Considering the skewed ownership of agricultural land for non-agricultural
land, it is necessary to strengthen projects should compensate for treatment
implementation of laws relating to land and full development of equivalent
reforms, with particular reference to degraded / wastelands elsewhere.
tenancy laws, land leasing, distribution Further, the commitment under the
of ceiling surplus land and wasteland, existing re-settlement policy of the
providing adequate access to common Central / State governments would be
property and wasteland resources and fulfilled in letter and spirit. For non-
the consolidation of holdings. Following agricultural purposes, as far as possible,
the conferment of land rights to women land with low biological potential for
under the Hindu Succession farming would be earmarked and
National Policy for Farmers
5
(xii) A nationwide programme will be 4.7.2 Apart from conserving genetic diversity
taken up for the ex situ and in situ and acknowledging the vital role of
conservation of plant genetic livestock keepers, there is a need to
resources at the field / farmer document the indigenous knowledge of
level. Farmer-level gene / seed pastoral communities about animal
banks would be set up in areas maintenance and breeding. Community-
where traditional varieties are in based conservation and development of
danger of extinction. Seed indigenous livestock breeds and species
exchange programmes undertaken will be encouraged, with a special focus
by some state governments, should on both hot and cold arid and semi-arid
take due care to ensure that the areas where genetic diversity and
traditional rice gene pool is not associated indigenous knowledge are
lost in this process. particularly well developed. State farms
(xiii) Participatory management of may be used to promote in situ
national parks, bio-sphere reserves conservation of animal breeds. Grazing
and gene sanctuaries. lands must be earmarked to enable the
conservation of animal genetic resources.
4.7 Animal Genetic Resources Documentation of special biological and
economic traits would be done in the
4.7.1 A system of rewards and incentives will context of the new biological and
be developed to enable and motivate nutritional needs or for other economic
people to conserve their breeds under the traits like hide/leather quality. Creation of
Biological Diversity Act. The disease-secure facilities for screening of
Biodiversity Fund would be used for germ plasm and selection of disease
such purposes. Livestock keepers’ resistant varieties would be promoted.
inherent rights to continue to use and
develop their own breeding stock and 4.7.3 Indian breeds of cattle and buffaloes are
breeding practises will be acknowledged in demand in other countries. Animal
and encouraged. The government will science graduates, self-help groups
recognise these rights, acknowledge (SHGs) and progressive livestock farmers
livestock keepers’ contribution to the would be encouraged and supported to
national economy, and adapt its policies maintain pedigree animals of these breeds
and legal frameworks accordingly so as for exploiting export opportunities.
to protect the same and to pre-empt However, export of all biological material
attempts to use the intellectual property including animals would be in
system to obtain control over animal accordance with the provisions of the
resources. Biological Diversity Act.
5 SUPPORT SERVICES
5.1 Science and Technology can help enhance productivity per unit
of land and water are needed for
5.1.1 Science and technology are the key overcoming the prevailing technology
drivers of change in farm operations fatigue. Frontier technologies like bio-
and output. New technologies which technology, ICT, renewable energy
National Policy for Farmers
10
5.2.1 Agricultural bio-security covering crops, 5.3.1 The nation has considerable capacity in
trees and farm and aquatic animals is of short, medium and long range weather
great importance since it relates to both forecasting. Generic information about
the work and income security of a weather has to be translated into
majority of the population and the food location- specific land-use advice, based
and trade security of the nation. An on cropping patterns and water
integrated National Agricultural availability. The agro-meteorological
Biosecurity System (NABS) covering advisories issued from time to time,
crops, animal husbandry, fisheries, would be used by Panchayat-level
forestry and agriculturally relevant functionaries, trained to give appropriate
micro-organisms will be established with land-use suggestions to farmers with the
the following objectives: least possible time lag. For marine
(i) Safeguard the income and fisheries, data on wave heights and
livelihood security of farmer location of fish shoals available would
families, as well as the food, health be transmitted to the fishermen.
and trade security of the nation, Frontline technologies such as internet-
through effective and integrated FM/HAM radio/cellphone services
surveillance, vigilance, prevention, would be very helpful to fishermen in
and control mechanisms designed to this regard.
protect the productivity and safety
of crops, farm animals, fishes and 5.4 Climate Change
forest trees.
(ii) Enhance national and local capacity 5.4.1 Climate change leading to adverse
in initiating proactive measures in changes in temperature, precipitation
monitoring, early warning, and sea level is an emerging issue. Most
education, research, control and experts agree that the impact of global
international cooperation. warming has been in a worrisome
(iii) Introduce an integrated bio-security measure, as evident from the melting of
package comprising regulatory glaciers and Antarctic and Arctic ice
measures, education, improved caps. Coastal storms and cyclones are
sanitary and phyto-sanitary also increasing in frequency and
measures and social mobilisation. intensity. Consequent to these changes,
(iv) Organise an integrated national droughts and floods are likely to be more
agricultural biosecurity programme on frequent. Although climate change is a
a hub-and-spoke model, with effective product of unsustainable consumption of
home and regional quarantine facilities non-renewable forms of energy, the
capable of insulating the major agro- harmful impact of climate change will be
ecological and farming system zones felt more by those nations with limited
of the country from invasive alien resources and coping capacity.
species of pests, pathogens and weeds Proactive measures to reduce the
as well as from the introduction and vulnerability to climate change will be
release of Genetically Modified taken. Based on simulation models,
Organisms (GMOs). contingency plans and alternative land-
National Policy for Farmers
12
use and water-use strategies will be established for this purpose. Soil
developed for each major agro-climatic organic matter would be increased
zone. In drought and flood-prone areas, by incorporating crop residues in
experienced farmers would be trained as the soil. Proper technical advice on
“Climate Managers” in the art of the reclamation of wastelands and
managing drought, flood and aberrant on improving their biological
monsoons. potential will be made available.
Fertilizer pricing policies will be
5.5 Inputs and Services reviewed to promote balanced use
of fertilizers. Agro-forestry will be
(i) Seeds: Good quality seeds and encouraged for efficient nutrient
disease-free planting material, cycling, nitrogen fixation, organic
including in-vitro cultured matter addition and for improving
propagules, are essential for crop drainage. Appropriate production
productivity and security. Hybrids and marketing mechanisms for
are now becoming available for bio-fertilizers, organic manures
many crops. In the case of new etc. will be put in place to promote
varieties, foundation seeds would their use for improving/
be provided to grass root level maintaining soil health.
seed growers and their groups such (iii) Pesticides: The triple alliance of
as cooperative societies and SHGs. pests, pathogens and weeds is the
Mutually beneficial farmer-seed cause of substantial crop losses
company partnerships will be every year. The development,
encouraged. Agricultural introduction and diffusion of
universities would be encouraged environmentally safe and effective
to organise courses on seed pesticides will be given priority.
technology and business, and There is a need for incorporating
mainstream business principles in the use of chemical pesticides in
all applied courses. A national an Integrated Pest Management
seed grid will be established to (IPM) system. Suitable quality
ensure supply of seeds across the control, safety evaluation and
country, as per the area specific other regulatory systems would be
requirement. strengthened. The sale of spurious
(ii) Soil Health: Soil health and substandard pesticides would
enhancement holds the key to be prevented and bio-pesticides
raising farm productivity. Steps would be promoted.
would be taken to ensure that each (iv) Implements: Farmers need region
farmer is issued with a soil health and crop specific machines and
passbook containing integrated implements for timely sowing,
information on the physics, management of weeds and
chemistry and microbiology of improving their post-harvest
farm soils with corresponding operations. Women especially
advisories. More laboratories to need woman-friendly implements /
detect specific micronutrient tools which can reduce drudgery,
deficiencies in soils will be save time, enhance output and can
National Policy for Farmers
13
5.6.2 The Government of India has already put 5.6.4 There is also a need for credit and
in place an agriculture credit policy to insurance literacy in villages. Gyan
improve access of farmers to institutional Chaupals (village knowledge centres)
credit. Steps would be taken for extensive can help in this task. Awareness on
coverage of farmers under the Kisan credit and insurance issues among
Credit Card Scheme. Micro credit and farmers would be promoted.
micro insurance will be promoted as an
effective tool for encouraging production 5.6.5 Women need special attention in credit
and reducing risk. Credit cooperatives access because of their lack of land
have an important position and role in the title/collateral. Kisan credit cards would
rural financial system and priority would be issued to women speedily with joint
be given to reforms and revamping of pattas for homestead / agricultural land.
cooperative credit institutions as per the For the cases without joint pattas,
recommendations of the Vaidyanathan indemnity bonds / guarantees from
Committee. Credit counselling centres husband, and relatives would be
would be established where severely considered by the banks for extending
indebted farmers can be provided a debt credit and kisan credit cards to the
rescue package/ rescheduling to save women farmers.
them from a debt trap. National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development 5.7 Cooperatives
(NABARD), as the leader of agriculture
and rural credit, should facilitate 5.7.1 Cooperatives have an important role to
convergence between credit availability play in banking, input supply, marketing,
and credit absorptive capacity of the agro-processing and other agri-
farmers and other rural borrowers and an businesses to protect farmers from the
efficient credit delivery system. vagaries of existing imperfections in the
NABARD should actively involve itself supply of inputs, production, value
in institution building and provide backup addition and marketing. Cooperatives
support through research and should function as economic enterprises
development initiatives. NABARD and not as an extended arm of the state.
should function like a national bank for They require an entrepreneurial
farmers. approach, competitive edge through
suitable enterprise focus and strategic
5.6.3 Since agriculture is a high-risk economic alliances with private and public sector
activity, farmers need user-friendly units. Appropriate mechanisms would be
insurance instruments covering put in place so that farmers have greater
production, right from sowing to post- control of the market channels and
harvest operations. The insurance should improve profit opportunities through
also cover the market risks for all crops, cooperatives and SHGs.
in order to insulate the farmers from
financial distress and in the process 5.7.2 With economic liberalisation and market
make agriculture financially viable. competitiveness, cooperatives would
Steps would be taken to revamp the require much larger capital and other
National Agricultural Insurance Scheme financial resources. Changes in the legal
to make it more farmer friendly. framework and regulatory system would
National Policy for Farmers
15
5.10 Agricultural Prices, Marketing and (vi) Terminal markets for agriculture
Trade would be developed in public-
private partnership mode to
5.10.1 Assured and remunerative marketing provide better market access to
opportunities hold the key to continued farmers with better price
progress in enhancing farm productivity realisation in a transparent trading
and profitability. Several significant environment with suitable
market reforms have already been backward linkages to give
initiated by the Central and the State technical backstopping services
governments. These reforms provide needed for quality and demand
more options to farmers for selling their driven production.
produce, allowing the private sector, (vii) The role of the Agriculture
including cooperatives, to develop Produce Market Committees and
markets, promote direct sales to State Agriculture Marketing
consumers, processors and retail chain Boards would be transformed from
suppliers / exporters and remove scope mere regulatory focus to
for corruption and harassment. The promotion of grading, branding,
following steps would be taken: packaging and development of
(i) The Minimum Support Price markets for local produce.
(MSP) mechanism would be
implemented effectively across the 5.10.2 Farmers require authentic advice based
country. on meteorological, marketing and
(ii) The Market Intervention Scheme management information for land-use
(MIS) would be strengthened to decisions and investments. Infrastructure
respond speedily to exigencies support would be put in place to
especially in the case of sensitive minimise post-harvest losses and enable
crops in the rainfed areas. agro-processing and value-addition at
(iii) The establishment of community the village level itself to increase
foodgrains banks would be employment and income. Farmers’
promoted to help in the marketing organisations and other entities like
of underutilised crops and thereby cooperatives and small farmers’ estates
generate an economic stake in the would be encouraged so that farmers can
conservation of agro-biodiversity. get a fair deal and enjoy the economies
(iv) The food security basket will be of scale. Producer groups and
enlarged by storing and selling cooperatives will be encouraged to
nutritious millets such as bajra, promote agro-processing industry.
jowar and ragi and other crops Constraints would be removed for
through the network of the Public improving the negotiability of
Distribution Systems (PDS). warehouse receipts.
(v) Efforts will be made to develop a 5.10.3 The trade policies in agriculture would
single national market by relaxing aim at protecting the livelihood of
internal restrictions. All controls farmer families and fostering their
and regulations hindering increase economic well-being. Effective
in farmers’ income will be livelihood security for farmers would be
reviewed and abolished. put in place. Quality and trade literacy
National Policy for Farmers
17
8 SPECIAL REGIONS
8.1 Distress Hotspots 8.2 Mega Bio-diversity Areas
Several steps have been taken by the Local communities would be involved in
government to mitigate agrarian distress the conservation of mega bio-diversity
experienced in some parts of the areas such as Western and Eastern
country. It is important that special Ghats, eastern Himalayan region, other
attention is paid to such areas to reduce North East and tribal areas. These
risk and promote inputs for sustainable communities would be given an
agricultural practices. In such areas, incentive and their contributions would
knowledge connectivity, social support be appropriately recognised. Steps
systems and marketing infrastructure would also be taken to enable local
will be strengthened. Convergence of the communities in mega bio-diversity areas
benefits under different schemes would to convert bio-resources into economic
also be encouraged. wealth in a sustainable manner.
10 ATTRACTING YOUTH
Educated youths would be helped and in different aspects of agricultural and
supported for setting up agri-clinics and allied activities including value addition
production-cum-processing centres to and processing of agro-products shall be
undertake outsourcing jobs both from introduced and recognised. The KVKs,
within and outside the country. In order institutions of state governments/ICAR
to attract youths to the agriculture sector, and competent private institutions may
a number of vocational training courses also provide such recognised vocational
National Policy for Farmers
23
training to the youth. Trained persons ventures for value addition to improve
would be supported through various productivity and income of the farmers.
schemes to launch self-employment
11.1 The following policy measures will also (v) Farm families would also be
ensure well-being and livelihood protected from becoming victims
security of the farmers: of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis
(i) Existing state land use boards (TB). Anti-retroviral drugs would
would be revamped and linked to be made available in villages free
district-level land-use committees of cost. The approach to the
to be constituted by the state treatment of farmers who are
government so that they can victims of serious diseases like
provide quality and proactive HIV/AIDS and TB in villages
advice to farmers on land use. would take into account access of
These are expected to emerge as the patient to food and nutrition to
virtual organisations with the assist recovery and restoration of
capacity to link land-use decisions productive life.
with ecological, meteorological (vi) There is a need for a rural non-
and marketing factors on a farm employment initiative for
location and season-specific basis. farm households. The initiative
(ii) Major thrust would be given to the would bring all rural non-farm
development of floriculture, roots employment programmes together
and tuber crops, aromatic and in order to generate convergence
medicinal plants, bee-keeping and and synergy among them. A
sericulture. Appropriate market consortium approach involving the
linkages would also be provided so different agencies concerned
that such efforts would improve would be adopted.
employment and income (vii) Along with production growth
opportunities in rural areas. rates, income growth rates would
(iii) Market Intervention Scheme also be measured and published.
would continue and would be Improving income and livelihood
strengthened. Suitable measures of farmers would be incorporated
would be taken for expeditious as a primary objective of all
processing and sanctions. schemes implemented in the
(iv) A well-defined food security policy agriculture sector.
with homegrown foodgrains is (viii) Article 243 G of the Constitution
important for eradicating rural (73rd Amendment) Act, 1982,
poverty and malnutrition. In order entrusts panchayats with the
to strengthen and regularly monitor responsibility for agriculture
food security issues, the government including agricultural extension. If
would constitute a Cabinet the problems faced by farmers are
Committee on Food Security. disaggregated and dealt with by
National Policy for Farmers
24
the gram sabhas and panchayats, mass media with timely and
location-specific problems can be scientifically accurate information
attended to speedily and on issues relating to agriculture,
effectively. In order to implement food security and farmers welfare,
various schemes and programmes regional media resource centres
at the grass roots level, the would be set up, associating
Government of India would farmers, media representatives and
support state governments for scientists, including extension
devolution of functions and personnel.
functionaries for empowering the (x) There is a need for integrated
panchayats. Steps would be taken approach for rural energy where
to strengthen and accord centrality renewable energy systems /
to panchayats in addressing the devices, biofuels would be
problems of farmers. promoted apart from improving
(ix) Mass media (conventional, the rural infrastructure, including
electronic and the internet) rural electrification, which is
constitute an important pillar of essential for agricultural
our democratic system of development.
governance. In order to assist the
12.1 The National Policy for Farmers will be policy address the problems of the
adapted and operationalised to suit the farmers.
local needs in different states and union
territories. State governments would be 12.2 The Department of Agriculture and
supported to convert national goals into Cooperation would constitute an Inter-
local action points by preparing Ministerial Committee to suggest a plan
operational plans for implementing this of action for operationalisation of this
policy, taking into account the agro- policy. Appropriate mechanisms and
climatic and other local conditions. Such guidelines would be evolved by
operational plans will be prepared at the concerned Ministries / Departments to
district level by a multi-disciplinary implement this policy.
professional group and integrated at the
state level. States would be encouraged 12.3 The Agriculture Coordination
to have an effective mechanism for Committee under the chairmanship of
continuous feedback from the farmers to the Prime Minister would oversee and
ensure that measures taken under the coordinate the integrated implementation
of this policy.
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