National Food Security Mission

Source: Kurukshetra Magazine

Background 

National Food Security Mission was launched in 2007-08 to increase the production of rice, wheat and pulses by 10, 8 and 2 million tonnes, respectively by the end of XI Plan through area expansion and productivity enhancement; restoring soil fertility and productivity; creating employment opportunities; and enhancing farm level economy. The Mission is being continued during 12th Five Year Plan with a new target of additional production of 25 million tonnes of food grains comprising of 10 million tonnes rice, 8 million tonnes of wheat, 4 million tonnes of pulses and 3 million tonnes of coarse cereals by the end of XII Plan

Major components of NFSM

1. National Food Security Mission – Rice (NFSM-Rice)
2. National Food Security Mission – Wheat (NFSM-Wheat)
3. National Food Security Mission – Pulses (NFSM-Pulses)
4. National Food Security Mission – Coarse cereals (NFSM-Coarse cereals)
5. National Food Security Mission – Nutri cereals (NFSM- Nutri cereals)
6. National Food Security Mission – Commercial crops (NFSM-Commercial crops)
7. National Food Security Mission – Oilseeds and Oilpalm (NFSM-Oilseeds)
8. National Food Security Mission – Seed village programme

Objectives

• Increasing production of rice, wheat, pulses, and coarse cereals through area expansion and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner in the identified districts of the country
• Restoring soil fertility and productivity at the individual farm level
• Enhancing farm level economy (i.e. farm profits) to restore confidence amongst the farmers

Strategy 

To achieve the above objectives, the Mission would adopt the following strategies: 

• Focus on low productivity and high potential districts including cultivation of food grain crops in rainfed areas. 
• Implementation of cropping system-centric interventions in a Mission mode approach through active engagement of all the stakeholders at various levels. 
• Agro-climatic zone wise planning and cluster approach for crop productivity enhancement.
• Focus on pulse production through the utilization of rice fallow, rice bunds and intercropping of pulses with coarse cereals, oilseeds and commercial crops (sugarcane, cotton, jute). 
• Promotion and extension of improved technologies i.e., seed, integrated nutrient management (INM) including micronutrients, soil amendments, integrated pest management (IPM), input use efficiency and resource conservation technologies along with the capacity building of the farmers/extension functionaries. 
• Close monitoring of the flow of funds to ensure timely reach of interventions to the target beneficiaries. 
• Integration of various proposed interventions and targets with the district plan of each identified district. 
• Constant monitoring and concurrent evaluation by the implementing agencies for assessing the impact of the interventions for a result-oriented approach.

Funding pattern: From the year 2015-16, the mission is being implemented on 60:40 sharing pattern between Centre and State Governments and on 90:10 sharing pattern between Centre and Northeastern & 3 Hill states