National Food Security Mission (NFSM)

The National Food Security Mission (NFSM), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is in operation in 480 districts of 18 important Rice, Wheat and Pulses growing states to increase production of rice by 10 million tonnes, of wheat by 8 million tonnes and of pulses by 2 million tonnes by the end of Eleventh Five Year Plan.

• National Food Security Mission is a flagship scheme in the field of agriculture aimed at augmenting production of food grains in the country in a time-bound manner.
• The Scheme was launched in August, 2007 with the aim to increase the 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)
• It covers major foodgrain crops — rice, wheat and pulses. In the 12th Plan, it will cover coarse cereals and pulses also.
• During 2012-13, the NFSM was implemented in 27 states of the country.
• NFSM-Rice was implemented in 210 districts of 24 states, NFSM-Wheat in 165 districts of 12 states and NFSM-Pulse in 468 districts of 16 States.
• The salient aspect of the Mission is that it has been conceptualized to target those districts which have lower productivity than the State average but have the potential to augment the productivity and production of three crops, i.e. Rice, Wheat and Pulses.

As per the Progress Report (Agriculture Annual Report) received from the States, significant achievements under NFSM have been recorded during the course of implementation of Programme in the last four years i.e. during 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and current year i.e. 2011-12 (till date).

New farm practices have been encouraged through 5.79 lakh demonstrations of improved package of practices on Rice, wheat and Pulses.

As many as 86,642 demonstrations on System of Rice Intensifi cation (SRI) as well as 50,010 demonstrations on hybrid Rice, Wheat, and Pulses have been organized.

About 100.70 lakh ha area has been treated with soil ameliorants (gypsum/ lime/ micro nutrients etc.) to restore soil fertility for higher productivity. An area of about 39.42 lakh ha has been treated under Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Further, nearly 30.16 lakh improved farm machineries including water saving devices have been distributed. Capacity building of farmers has been encouraged through arranging 43,656 farmers’ field schools (FFS) at the farm level so far.

The Union Budget 2013-14 has provide Rs 2,250 crore to the mission.

Restructuring

The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) will be revamped during the Twelfth Plan. While the Eleventh Plan approach of focused attention on identified districts and crops in a location specific, target-oriented manner will continue, greater attention will be put in most areas to shift from exclusive focus on individual crops to the cropping system/farming system approach.

In particular, the Mission will be extended to cover coarse cereals and fodder, in addition to wheat, rice and pulses as at present.

The Mission contemplates that promotion of package of practices in compact blocks in a hand holding approach would not only help in enhancing the production and productivity of a region but also help in changing mindsets of farmers due to its positive large-scale impact.

This approach will ensure inclusion of all farmers in the compact block irrespective of their size of holding or social status and will be compatible with other efforts that encourage strengthening of institutions, including building of farmers organisations and FPOs. The Mission will also build upon the Eleventh Plan experience regarding conservation agriculture.

However, the main way in which NFSM will be extended during the Twelfth Plan is through greater emphasis on strategic-area development.

The two programmes that were started as RKVY sub-components in the Eleventh Plan namely, the 60000 pulses village programme and the intensive millets production programme will largely be shifted into NFSM.

On another sub-component of RKVY—Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India (BGREI)—a view will be taken by DAC in consultation with States regarding format of its continuation during the Twelfth Plan.

Also, some additional districts in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the north-eastern region will be included to provide a specific thrust on foodgrains cultivation in hill areas.

Such restructuring of RKVY and NFSM will address the problem of bridging the existing large gap between potential and realised rice yields in eastern States and the challenge of increasing pulses production. Since BGREI allows components which are not part of NFSM, and since development of the eastern region requires significant investments in power and marketing infrastructure, the final design of how to proceed on the relative contributions of RKVY and NFSM will need to be decided in consultation with the States.

Also, since a counterpart of expanding rice production in eastern States is to reduce rice area and resulting groundwater stress in the North-West, a decision will have to be taken on what components of the latter effort should be stressed in NFSM/RKVY.

Targets

Preliminary targets under the NFSM for the Twelfth Plan are enhancing production by additional 25 million tonnes of foodgrains consisting of 10 million tonnes of rice, 10 million tonnes of wheat, 3 million tonnes of pulses and 2 million tonnes of millet. Also it aims to expand fodder production to meet the demand both of green and dry fodder.

In all probability, the requirement of sufficient quantity of dual purpose feed and fodder will require raising this target to 30 million tonnes, with additional production of coarse cereals put at 7 million tonnes.

All these targets are less than was actually achieved during the Eleventh Plan and are consistent with demand forecasts. This would amount to targeting 2–2.5 per cent increase in foodgrains production in the Twelfth Plan.