National Food Security Mission

To meet the growing food grain demand, National Development Council in its 53rd meeting adopted a resolution to enhance the production of rice, wheat and pulses by 10, 8 and 2 million tons respectively by 2011 with an outlay of Rs. 4,882 crore under National Policy for Farmers in the Eleventh Five Year Plan.The proposed Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘National Food Security Mission (NFSM) is to operationalise the resolution of NDC and enhance the production of rice, wheat and pulses.
Key Features:
1. The scheme to be implemented in a mission mode through a farmer centric approach
2. All the Stakeholders to be actively associated at the District levels for achieving the set goal.
3. The scheme aims to target the select districts by making available the improved technologies to the farmers through a series of planned interventions.
4. A close monitoring mechanism proposed to ensure that interventions reach to the targeted beneficiaries.
Objectives:
1. Increasing production of rice, wheat and pulses through area expansion and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner;
2. Restoring soil fertility and productivity at individual farm level;
3. Enhancing farm level economy (i.e. farm profits) to restore confidence of farmers of targeted districts
Strategy:
1. Expansion of area of Pulses and Wheat, No expansion of area in rice
2. Bridging the yield gap between the potential and the present level of productivity through
3. Acceleration of seed production
4. Integrated Nutrient Management and Integrated Pest Management
5. Promotion of new production technologies like hybrid rice, timely planting of wheat and promotion of new improved variety of Pulses
6. Supply of input ensuring their timely availability
7. Farmers Training and Visits
Components of NFSM-Rice
1. Demonstration of improved technology including hybrid and System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
2. Incentive for quality seeds of HYVs/hybrids
3. Popularization of new varieties through seed mini kits
4. Promotion of micro nutrients, lime and gypsum
5. Promotion of mechanical weeders and other farm implements
6. Integrated pest management
7. Extension, training and mass media campaign
8. Awards for best performing district in each State.
9. Assistance for innovative interventions at local level
Components of NFSM : Wheat
1. Demonstration of improved Technology
2. Incentive for quality seeds of HYVs to raise the SRR
3. Promotion of micronutrient use in deficient areas
4. Incentive for promotion of application of Gypsum
5. Popularization of Zero till Machines and rotavator
6. Providing subsidy on diesel pumpsets and community generators for irrigation
7. Extension, training and mass media campaign awards for best performing districts
8. Assistance for innovative interventions at local level
Components of NFSM Pulses
1. Increasing seed replacement rate to 25% from present level of 7-8%
2. Promotion of improved production technologies
3. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)
4. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
5. Promotion of micronutrients/gypsum/bio-fertilizers
6. Promotion of sprinkler irrigation
7. Pilot Project on tackling the menace of blue bull
8. Extension, training and mass media campaign
9. Awards for best performing districts
10. Pilot project on demonstration ICRISAT Technologies.
Flow of Funds:
1. Funds for the Mission’s programmes to be directly released to the State Food Security Mission (SFSM) agency after approval by the National Executive Committee.
2. State Mission agency would ensure implementation of the programmes, in a time-bound manner and would make available funds to the District level implementing agency in accordance with their approved programmes.
3. Funds would be released in installments based on progress reports and furnishing of utilization certificates

Structure

Financial Outlay
Area of Operation:

The program covers now 17 states and 311 districts and has become operational from Rabi 2007-08.

The identified districts are given flexibility to adopt any local area specific interventions as are included in the Strategic Research & Extension Plan (SERP). Rs. 2 crore for those districts with NFSM for 2 crops and Rs. 1 crore for districts with NFSM for 1 crop.

Under the NFSM, initial reports indicate an increase in wheat seed distribution from 43% in Rajasthan to as high as 10 times in Bihar. In pulses also, the increase in use of improved seed range from 29% in Rajasthan to more than 400% in Chhattisgarh.