Context: Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has stated that an area of 4.9 lakh ha is covered in 8 states has been released under Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP).

• The eight states are Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP)

• Natural farming is promoted as BPKP under a centrally sponsored scheme- Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).
• The scheme mainly emphasizes on the exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs and promotes on-farm biomass recycling.
• It stresses biomass mulching; use of cow dung-urine formulations; plant-based preparations and time to time working of soil for aeration.
• Under BPKP, financial assistance of Rs 12200/ha for 3 years is provided for cluster formation, capacity building, and continuous handholding by trained personnel, certification and residue analysis.

About Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana

• “PKVY” is an elaborated component of Soil Health Management (SHM) of the major project National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
• Under PKVY Organic farming is promoted through the adoption of the organic village by cluster approach and PGS certification.

The Scheme envisages

• Promotion of commercial organic production through certified organic farming.
• The produce will be pesticide residue free and will contribute to improve the health of consumer.
• It will raise farmer’s income and create potential market for traders.
• It will motivate the farmers for natural resource mobilization for input production.

Programme implementation

• Groups of farmers would be motivated to take up organic farming under PKVY.
• Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster having 50 acre land to take up the organic farming under the scheme.
• In this way during three years 10,000 clusters will be formed covering 5.0 lakh acre area under organic farming.
• There will be no liability on the farmers for expenditure on certification.
• Every farmer will be provided Rs. 20,000 per acre in three years for seed to harvesting of crops and to transport produce to the market.
• Organic farming will be promoted by using traditional resources and the organic products will be linked with the market.
• It will increase domestic production and certification of organic produce by involving farmers.

By: Abhipedia