The Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF) has been restructured and assimilated as an agroforestry component under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY). This restructured scheme aligns with India’s commitment to promoting natural farming, a method that combines agriculture and animal husbandry without using any chemicals.
Salient Features of the Restructured Agroforestry Scheme Under RKVY
The revamped scheme emphasizes on promoting and ensuring the availability of Quality Planting Material (QPM). It assigns the Central Agroforestry Research Institute (CAFRI) a pivotal role in providing technical support and guidance for establishing nurseries, producing, and certifying QPM. The production and certification of QPM have been accorded distinctive priority under this scheme.
Under the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) centers on Agroforestry, CAFRI collaborates with research centers nationwide to innovate and develop sustainable practices. Each State/Union Territory identifies a designated State Nodal Department/Agency to ensure the production and availability of QPM. The QPM raised through this scheme is offered to farmers and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) either free or based on the decisions made by respective States/UTs.
The scheme involves various activities including the establishment of Nurseries for QPM Production, Tissue Culture Lab for Quality Planting Material, Skill Development and Awareness Campaign, Research & Development, Market Linking, and running of Project Management Unit (PMU) and Agroforestry Technical Support Group (TSG).
Understanding Quality Planting Material (QPM)
QPM is crucial in agriculture and forestry for optimizing revenues, adapting to adverse environmental conditions, and fulfilling the quality raw material requirements of markets. The quality of planting material hinges on origin, authenticity of variety and stock, plant growth, and health state. QPM certification is a process to ensure that the planting material meets the prescribed standards of quality and is fit for the intended purpose.
Government Initiatives for Promoting Natural Farming
The government has launched an array of initiatives to promote natural farming. The Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) Sub-Scheme under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) advocates chemical-free farming through integrated use of livestock and local resources. The government also encourages chemical-free organic farming along the Ganga River under the Namami Gange Program. Since 2017-18, approximately 1.23 lakh hectares of land have been covered under this initiative.
In 2022-23, the government approved Chemical-free Natural Farming for a 1.48 lakh hectare area in 5-km wide corridors along the Ganga River in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
Finally, the Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF) Scheme was implemented by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC & FW) since 2016-17. This scheme encourages farmers to plant multi-purpose trees alongside agricultural crops for climate resilience and additional income sources. Farmers need a soil health card to avail benefits under the scheme.
As we discuss various aspects of natural farming and government initiatives, it’s imperative to address some questions previously asked in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. These include understanding the difference between permaculture farming and conventional chemical farming, the chief characteristic of ‘mixed farming,’ present challenges before crop diversification, and contributions of Sir M. Visvesvaraya and Dr. M. S. Swaminathan in the fields of water engineering and agricultural science respectively.
