Agriculture

Promotion of Collective Farming:

1. To mobilize small and marginal farmers in to Farmers producer groups to share knowledge on better practices, Cost effective agricultural technologies aiming at increased productivity
2. To upgrade the Farmer interest groups in to Farmers producer organization for improved
   livelihood keeping in mind the collective interest of the Farmers of better profit
3. To provide promotional support in terms of financial assistance for formation groups, social capital development, Human resource development ,registration of Farmer producers organizations. Purchase of farm machineries etc
4. To remove hundles in enabling farmers access to credit facilities and markets
5. To create an conducive environment for collective production and marketing for better profitability and sustainability
6. To retain the interest of farmers in farming occupation

TARGET BENEFICIARIES:

Small and marginal farmers are the target beneficiaries for this project.During the year 2017-2018 in Thoothukudi District, Kovilpatti, Kayathar, Vilathikulam, pudur, and Ottapidaram Block this scheme is being implemented.

TARGET:

1. No.of Farmers interest group to be formed : 220
2. No. of Farmers Producer group to be formed : 44
3. No.of .SF/MF farmers to be covered: 4400

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana _PMFBY (Crop Insurance Scheme)

It aims at supporting sustainable production in agriculture by way of

1. Providing at supporting sustainable production in agriculture by way of unforeseen events.
2. Stabilizing the income of farmers to ensure their continuance in farming.
3. Encouraging farmers to adopt innovative and modern Agriculture practices.
4. Ensuring flow of credit to the agriculture sector, which will, contribute to food security, crop diversification and enhancing growth and competitiveness of agriculture sector besides protecting farmers from production risks.

MISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DRYLAND AGRICULTURE (MSDA)

MSDA is a new scheme launched during 2016-17 for dry land farming and the main focus is on improving the production and productivity of the dryland crops mainly millets, pulses and oilseeds. A near contiguous area of 1000 Ha dryland is formed into a cluster and the development activities are based on cluster approach. The PACCS covering the major area serves as the nodal PACCS. A Cluster Development Team (CDT) comprising of the Department Staff of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Marketing, Animal Husbandry and lead farmers is formed in every cluster. For every village panchayat in the cluster, a Maanavari Grama Vivasayigal Membattu Kuzhu or Farmers Club is formed and this club is registered under the Societies Act.

The scheme provides assistance for

1. Summer ploughing at Rs.1250/Hectare
2. Entry Point Activity like check dam or percolation pond at Rs.5 Lakh/Cluster
3. Land Development Activity (Formation of Water Harvesting Structures) at Rs.7.5 Lakh/cluster
4. Agronomic Interventions: Assistance for Seed, Biofertilizer, MN Mixture and other critical inputs at 50% subsidy depending upon the crop cultivated
5. Value addition: at Rs.4 L for nodal PACCS and at Rs.6 L per Cluster
6. Custon Hiring Centre: at 80% subsidy not exceeding Rs.8 L per cluster
7. Animal Husbandry:

• Optimising the nutrient profile of cattle
• Optimising the reproductive health
• Optimising udder health

For the year 2017-18, 30 Such Clusters are identified at 6 each in Ottapidaram, Kovilpati, Kayathar, Vilathikulam & Pudur blocks.

NATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (NMSA)

Rainfed Area Development:

For the purpose of achieving sustainability in dryland agriculture, the integrated farming system is promoted. Instead of depending on a single crop alone for farm income, the cropping system approach is promoted. In our district, the most suitable cropping system is pulses followed by cotton. A farmer can avail assistance for an extent of 1 Ha only under this scheme. Every farmer can purchase a milch animal and he is eligible for a back ended subsidy of Rs.17,500 per animal. The assistance for the cropping system is 50% limited to Rs.10000/Ha. So a beneficiary can avail a maximum assistance of Rs.27500. Permanent Vermicompost structures can be constructed in the farmers’ yard at 50% subsidy limited to Rs.25000/Unit and temporary structures at 50% subsidy limited to Rs.6000/unit. This scheme will be implemented at a total outlay of Rs.266.75L during 2017-18

NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY MISSION (NFSM)

To achieve food security, this scheme aims at improving the production of food grains either by increasing the area cultivated or by increasing the crop productivity. In our District, NFSM is implemented in two crop groups namely coarse cereals (Cumbu, maize and minor millets) and pulses (blackgram and greengram). A beneficiary can avail benefit for a maximum extent of 2 Ha under this scheme.

1. Under NFSM – Coarse cereals, the hybrid seeds are distributed at 50% subsidy and demonstrations on improved technologies are conducted at Rs.5000/Ha. The total outlay for this year is Rs.77 L.
2. Under NFSM – Pulses, the assistance is provided for production and distribution of HYV seeds at Rs.2500/Qtl, demonstratons on improved technologies at Rs.5000/Ha, cropping system based demonstration at Rs.10000/Ha, bund cropping with redgram at Rs.100/Ha, distribution of liquid biofertilizer at Rs.150/Ha, PP Chemicals and MN mixture at Rs.500/Ha, power sprayer at Rs.3000/No., rotavator at Rs.35000/No., sprinkler at Rs.10000/Ha, HDPE pipes at Rs.50/m limited to Rs.15000/Ha and PVC pipes at Rs.35/m limited to Rs.15000/Ha. The total outlay for this year is 387.6 L.

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (NADP)

1. To improve the production and productivity of crops, NADP is implemented specific to each major crop classes like paddy, millets, pulses and oilseeds. Under NADP, a farmer can avail benefit for a maximum extent of 2 Ha.
2. NADP Paddy Mission includes components like distribution of biofertilizers, Zinc Sulphate, Weedicide and Micro nutrients at 50% subsidy and power tiller at 50% subsidy limited to Rs.75000/unit. The sanctioned amount is Rs.27.67 L
3. NADP Millet Mission covers distribution of MN Mixture and bio-fertilizers at 50% subsidy at a total outlay of Rs.23.8 lakhs.
4. Under NADP – Pulses mission, assistance is provided for quality seed production at Rs.2500/Qtl, seed treatment chemical at Rs.100/Ha, Line sowing at Rs.1000/Ha and 2% DAP foliar spray at Rs.650/Ha. The amount sanctioned is Rs.174.15 L.
5. The Oilseed Mission comprises of production and distribution of certified seeds, distribution of liquid bio-fertilizers and bund cropping with castor.

Objectives of Mission Soil Health Card Scheme

1. To issue soil health card every 2 years, to all the farmers of the country, so as to provide a basis to address nutrient deficiencies in fertilization practices
2. To diagnose soil fertility related constrains with standardized procedures for sampling uniformly across states and analysis and design taluqa/block level fertilizer recommendations in targeted districts
3. To develop and promote soil test based nutrient management in the districts for enhancing nutrient use efficiency
4. The quality of Soil Testing and fertilizer recommendation depends upon soil sampling. For this following scientific norms are prescribed in Tamil Nadu. In the wholly irrigated areas, samples are drawn in a grid of 2.5 ha. In Rainfed areas sampling is done in 10 ha grid. GPS co ordinates are also essentially recorded at the time of soil sampling. In addition basic particulars are collected from the farmers of the grid are also collected so as to give Soil Health cards to all the farmers