In News: Indian Council of Agricultural Research through ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming System Research, Modipuram operates a research scheme of All India Network Programme on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF) .
All India Network Programme on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF)
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) through ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming System Research (IIFSR), Modipuram operates a research scheme of All India Network Programme on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF) with 20 cooperating centres covering 16 states.
- To develop a package of practices for organic production of crops.
- Scientific packages of practices have been developed for 51 cropping systems suitable for 12 states.
- These packages involve the use of green and green leaf manures, biofertilizers, enriched composts, oilcakes, vermi-composts, microbial consortia, bio-control agents and other bio-pesticides for nutrient, insect and disease management under organic farming conditions.
- Under this programme, management packages involving reduced application of nutrients through manures with innovative practices are being evaluated at different locations which also includes use of bio fertilizers.
Initiative Educating Farmers on benefits of Organic Farming
- ICAR-IISS, Bhopal has developed biofertilizers/bioformulations, which can save NPK fertilizer by 10-25%.
- ICAR-National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Mau has developed microbe-based technologies for soil health and plant nutrition. The Bureau has also developed four bio-pesticides formulations that are effective against a number of soil and seed-borne pathogens.
- Government has launched schemes namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) & Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER). These schemes aim at development of sustainable models of organic farming through a mix of traditional wisdom and modern science to ensure long term soil fertility build-up, resource conservation and helps in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
- The process of certification of organic production for domestic and export markets is regulated by the National Centre for Organic Farming, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research has a network of 722 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).
- KVKs impart training on various facets of agriculture and allied sectors including production of organic inputs to the farmers.
- During the last one year, the KVKs trained 22000 farmers on production of organic inputs.
- Cluster demonstrations on organic farming under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana are being implemented by 411 KVKs covering 8220 ha area from 2019-20.
- KVKs are involved in cluster formation through exposure visits and training of field functionaries, Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) certification of organic farming, incentive to farmers for organic conversion, inputs, on farm infrastructure, organization of trade fairs, organic fairs, Education and training is continuous process.
- Training is provided to farmers according to demand and new developments in the area.
ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming System Research
- Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research was established by renaming Project Directorate for Farming Systems Research by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi at Modipuram, Meerut (Uttar Pradesh).
- Earlier,It was named as Project Directorate for cropping System Research and the project was operating as All India Coordinated Agronomic Research Project (AICARP) since 1968-69 to coordinate agronomic research at national level.
- During the mid-eighties it was realized that the component approach of crop research is not sufficient to boost and sustain high yield levels, attained during the green revolution period. Consequently, AICARP was upgraded to the level of Project Directorate with a vision to strengthen all aspects of system based crop research at national level.
- Further, during the year 2009-10 the PDCSR was re-named as “Project Directorate for Farming Systems Research (PDFSR)”. It took one year for transformation and research work in the farming system perspective could start during 2010-11.
- At present, in addition to campus based research at Modipuram, Project Directorate for Farming Systems Research is operating through All India Coordinated Research Project on Integrated Farming Systems with 42 on-station, 32 on-farm and 5 voluntary research centers spread throughout the country in five major ecosystems, i.e., arid, semi-arid, sub-humid, humid and coastal representing 15 agro-climatic zones to develop location specific system based technologies.
- The Network Project on Organic Farming remained operational since 2004-05 with its 13 cooperating centers spread over 12 states of the country.
- The major research programmes identified were Integrated Farming System Management (IFSM), Cropping System & Resource Management(CSRM), Organic Agriculture System(OAS), Technology Transfer & Human Resource Development(TTHRD)
Source: The Hindu and iifsr.res.in
