Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare addresses Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 410 regarding crop diversification schemes in rainfed areas, particularly in Assam's tribal districts, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. The response details the implementation of centrally sponsored schemes like Rainfed Area Development (RAD), National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEOOS), and Oil Palm (NMEOOP) in these regions. These initiatives aim to enhance productivity, promote oilseed production, and support oil palm cultivation through financial assistance, training, and infrastructure development.
Key Points / Main Content:
Rainfed Area Development (RAD):
Focuses on Integrated Farming System (IFS) to enhance productivity and minimize climate-related risks.
Integrates crops/cropping systems with horticulture, livestock, fishery, agroforestry, and apiculture.
Conducts capacity building training in Karbi Anglong for value chain integration, post-harvest storage, processing, packaging, and sealing.
Facilitates the formation of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to promote export and expand market access.
Links farmers with local buyers in the Dima Hasao district.
National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEOOS):
Aims to boost domestic oilseed production for self-reliance in edible oils.
Identifies over 600 Value Chain Clusters across the country, covering more than 10 lakh hectares annually.
Manages clusters through Value Chain Partners (VCPs), including FPOs and cooperatives.
Provides farmers with free high-quality seeds, training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and advisory services on weather and pest management.
Supports government/private industries, FPOs, and cooperatives in setting up post-harvest infrastructure.
Enhances the recovery of valuable products from secondary sources.
National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEOOP):
Strives to boost oil palm cultivation through area expansion, production inputs, market support, and technology transfer.
Provides assistance for planting, intercropping, irrigation, mechanization, and replanting.
Offers price assurance through viability gap funding to farmers.
Promotes new technologies, farmer training, and infrastructure development.
Crop Diversification Programme (CDP):
Implemented in Haryana, Punjab, and western Uttar Pradesh since 2013-14.
Aims to divert areas of water-intensive paddy crops to alternative crops.
Not implemented in Assam.
Impact Analysis:
Farmers in Assam (Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao):
Impact: Benefit from enhanced productivity, diversified farming systems, financial assistance, training, market access, and improved income generation through RAD, NMEOOS, and NMEOOP.
Action Required: Participate in training programs, adopt new technologies, join FPOs, and engage with local buyers.
Oilseed Producers Nationally:
Impact: Benefit from increased support for oilseed production, access to high-quality seeds and training, and improved post-harvest infrastructure.
Action Required: Utilize available resources, participate in Value Chain Clusters, and implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs).
Government/Private Industries, FPOs, and Cooperatives:
Impact: Receive support for setting up and improving post-harvest infrastructure for oilseed collection, oil extraction, and recovery of valuable byproducts.
Action Required: Invest in infrastructure development and collaborate with farmers to improve the efficiency of oilseed processing and marketing.
Original Green Revolution States (Haryana, Punjab, and Western Uttar Pradesh):
Impact: Continued support for crop diversification away from water-intensive paddy crops.
Action Required: Continue to promote and adopt alternative crops like pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, nutri cereals, and cotton.
Key Entities Referenced
Assam: A state in northeastern India where crop diversification schemes are being implemented.
Karbi Anglong district: A district in Assam covered under Rainfed Area Development (RAD) scheme.
Dima Hasao district: A district in Assam covered under Rainfed Area Development (RAD) scheme.
Rainfed Area Development (RAD): A centrally sponsored scheme focusing on Integrated Farming System (IFS) to enhance productivity and minimize risks associated with climatic variability.
National Mission on Edible Oils Oilseeds (NMEOOS): Aims to boost domestic oilseed production to strive towards self-reliant in edible oils in the country.
National Mission on Edible Oils Oil Palm (NMEOOP): Strives to boost oil palm cultivation in the country through area expansion, production inputs, market support, and technology transfer.
Haryana: One of the states where Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PMRKVY) is implemented.
Punjab: One of the states where Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PMRKVY) is implemented.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 410
TO BE ANSWERED ON 22ND JULY, 2025
SCHEMES FOR CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN RAIN-FED AREAS
410. SHRI AMARSING TISSO:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एव ं(cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण
म(cid:287)ं ी be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is implementing any crop diversification schemes in
rain-fed tribal areas of Assam, especially in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts;
(b) if so, the details of the crops promoted and the areas covered;
(c) the financial assistance or incentives provided to farmers under such schemes;
and
(d) the steps taken to integrate these schemes with value chain and market access
initiatives?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एव ं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) to (d): The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is
implementing Centrally sponsored scheme viz; Rainfed Area Development (RAD),
National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) and National Mission on Edible
Oils – Oil Seeds (NMEO-OS) across the country including Assam. The Karbi Anglong
and Dima Hasao districts of Assam are also covered under these scheme.
The Rainfed Area Development (RAD) scheme focuses on Integrated Farming
System (IFS) for enhancing productivity and minimizing risks associated with climatic
variability. Under RAD, crops/cropping system is integrated with activities like
horticulture, livestock, fishery, agro-forestry, apiculture etc. to enable farmers not only
in maximizing farm returns for sustaining livelihood, but also to mitigate the impacts of
drought, flood or other extreme weather events. In Karbi Anglong district, Capacity
Building Training are also conducted to integrate the scheme with value chain and the
farmers are trained for post harvest storage of the farm products and processing of
the by-products, packaging and sealing. Also the process is continuing to enrol and
form farmers into a FPO, so that proper marketing is done to promote export and
expand new market. In Dima Hasao district farmers are linked with local Buyers.The National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-OS) aims to boost domestic
oilseed production to strive towards self-reliant in edible oils in the country. Under
NMEO-Oilseeds, over 600 Value Chain Clusters have been identified across the
country, covering more than 10 lakh hectares annually. These clusters are managed
by Value Chain Partners (VCPs), including Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)
and cooperatives. Farmers in these clusters are getting free high-quality seeds,
training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and advisory services on weather and
pest management. Additionally, states also conducting block demonstrations to create
awareness among farmers about the latest high-yielding varieties and technologies.
In addition, the mission supports Government/Private industries, FPOs and
cooperatives for setting up post-harvest infrastructure including improving the capacity
or efficiency of existing infrastructure for increasing the efficiency of oilseed collection,
oil extraction & recovery. This also enhances the recovery of valuable products from
secondary sources such as cottonseed, rice bran, corn oil, and Tree-Borne Oils
(TBOs), contributing to sustainable agricultural practices and better income generation
for farmers.
The NMEO-OP strives to boost oil palm cultivation in the country through area
expansion, production inputs, market support and technology transfer. It provides
assistance for planting, intercropping, irrigation, mechanization, and replanting,
alongside price assurance through viability gap funding to the farmers. The scheme
also promotes new technologies, farmer training, and infrastructure development to
enhance productivity and efficiency.
Further, the Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) under the Pradhan Mantri
- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) in the Original Green Revolution States
viz; Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh since 2013-14 to divert the area of
water intensive paddy crop to alternative crops, like pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals,
nutri cereals, cotton etc. however, CDP is not implemented in Assam.
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