Latest news with #PradhanMantriFasalBimaYojana
Hans India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Farmer Associations' Report Highlights Climate-Resilient Tech that has Empowered Lakhs of Farmers
Calls for farmer-first, tech-driven solutions to tackle gaps in adoption despite government push Showcases NICRA's impact to empower farmers through 23,000 capacity-building programmes Urges targeted subsidies for renewable energy, organic inputs, and micro-irrigation to make climate-smart practices more accessible to small and marginal farmers On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA), a non-profit uplifting the cause of millions of farmers and farm workers involved in commercial crop cultivation in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, organised a national seminar on the theme 'Supplementing Farmer Income through Sustainable Farming Practices' at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi. The seminar outlined a sustainable approach to leverage proven climate-resilient technologies to empower farmers. During the seminar, FAIFA also unveiled a white paper titled 'Nourishing the Future: A Report on Climate-Resilient Agriculture'. The report lauded the success of ICAR's flagship NICRA initiative, which has reached nearly 6.93 lakh farmers as of February 2025, through technology demonstrations and has trained 6.47 lakh stakeholders via 23,613 capacity-building programmes on climate resilient agriculture. As part of its interventions, 448 Climate Resilient Villages have been established, and 650 district-level agricultural contingency plans have been developed. The report's focus is in line with the latest developments initiated by the Government of India to boost agriculture. Some of the key efforts include the launch of the Digital Agriculture Mission, the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and the National Mission on Natural Farming. Delegates in the seminar, including policymakers, agricultural scientists, and Members of Parliament, expressed concern over projections by the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA), which estimate a potential 6–25% reduction in wheat yields and a 3–15% decline in rice yields by 2050. The FAIFA report also highlights a study by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) that warns of 10–30% fall in rain-fed crop yields across semi-arid regions. Erratic Climate Conditions – A Threat to Agriculture The report underscores that climate change, no longer a distant threat but a present and accelerating crisis for Indian agriculture, is beefing up its siege through erratic rainfall, unseasonal droughts, temperature spikes, and rising incidence of pests and diseases disrupting crop cycles. These weather events have severely impacted productivity, inflated input costs, and choked farmer incomes — compounding their distress. Small and marginal farmers, who form over 80% of India's agrarian community, are the worst affected due to limited adaptive capacity. But schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), which provides insurance cover for weather-beaten crop losses, and initiatives under the Per Drop More Crop component that scale micro-irrigation are alleviating farmer distress. Additionally, the Soil Health Card scheme and the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) have supported balanced nutrient management and organic farming. Though a robust policy foundation is in place, the report identifies several gaps in implementation. High initial costs, fragmented infrastructure, and low farmer awareness continue to block widespread adoption of climate-resilient technologies. FAIFA recommends an integrated remedy: scaling research and extension services, expanding digital agri-platforms, and incentivizing sustainable practices. Mr. Murali Babu, General Secretary, Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA), said, 'In states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, tangible impacts of climate variability on farming are becoming increasingly evident. Soil degradation, rising input costs, and falling water tables are putting significant pressure on farm productivity and incomes, particularly for small and marginal farmers. However, initiatives like ICAR's NICRA programme are encouraging, which has introduced practical climate-resilient solutions, such as solar-powered irrigation, drought-tolerant seed varieties, and capacity-building at the grassroots. These are already making a difference in many regions. This report is a constructive call to deepen our commitment to sustainable agriculture. We must transition from a 'grow more' approach to a 'grow better' mindset—one that embraces innovation, environmental stewardship, and economic viability for the farming community.' Innovation on the Ground: Success Stories from the Field The report features examples of climate-smart agriculture practices that are already providing greener outcomes: · Precision farming using IoT, sensors, and mobile-based advisories helps farmers monitor soil moisture, optimise inputs, and pre-empt crop stress. · Regenerative agriculture, including crop rotation, green manuring, and cover cropping, is enhancing long-term soil health. · Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) is reducing fertiliser dependency while maintaining yield levels. · NICRA's flood - and drought-tolerant crop varieties are emerging as adaptive lifelines for climate-vulnerable farmers. Such sustainable soil conservation practices also contribute to carbon sequestration, as they act as mitigation pathways aligned with India's broader climate goals. Ather Matheen, Vice-President, Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA), said, 'Sustainable agriculture must be viewed as a core economic strategy for Indian farmers and not just be seen as an environmental or regulatory concern. Climate-resilient models offer long-term financial benefits by lowering input costs, opening new markets, and reducing weather-related disruptions. Initiatives such as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund can drive long-term income growth for farmers while advancing sustainability across the agricultural value chain. We also see transformative potential in platforms like e-NAM, which are beginning to streamline market access and improve price discovery through digital trade. As these tools evolve and scale, they will play a crucial role in integrating farmers more effectively into national and global value chains.' FAIFA's Reform Roadmap: Building Resilience Through Policy and Practice To address systemic challenges, the report puts forward suggestions for an effective roadmap: · Increase public investment in R&D for climate-resilient seed varieties and cropping systems · Widen farmer training programmes through participatory models and grassroots extension services · Promote ICT-based tools for precision agriculture and timely farmer advisories · Strengthen market access for sustainable produce by linking incentives with adoption · Provide targeted subsidies for renewable energy, micro-irrigation, and organic inputs · Mainstream conservation agriculture, agroforestry, and integrated farming systems into national and state programmes Climate-Resilient Agriculture is the Way Forward The report makes a fervent appeal to policymakers, research institutions, and private stakeholders to collaborate in scaling climate-smart agriculture. By infusing modern science into traditional knowledge, strengthening grassroots capacity, and aligning economic incentives, the sector can be bolstered to become resilient to climactic extremes and ensure a sustainable future for itself. As India works towards the twin imperatives of ensuring food security and combatting climate change, FAIFA's report offers a timely and actionable roadmap. FAIFA concludes that with strong institutional backing, increased investment, and a farmer-first implementation model, India can pave the way for an agri-economy that is both productive and climate-resilient.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- General
- Business Standard
Farmers' body calls for investment boost to tackle climate-farming barriers
Farmers' body FAIFA on Thursday called for bridging implementation gaps and increasing investment in climate-resilient agricultural technologies, citing high initial costs, fragmented infrastructure and low farmer awareness as key barriers to widespread adoption of sustainable farming practices. The Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA) released a white paper titled "Nourishing the Future: A Report on Climate-Resilient Agriculture" during a national seminar in New Delhi, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable farming practices to counter climate change impacts. The report identified erratic rainfall, unseasonal droughts, temperature spikes and rising pest incidence as key threats disrupting crop cycles across major agricultural states, including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Member of Parliament from Andhra Prades Putta Mahesh Kumar was present at the event. Small and marginal farmers, who comprise over 80 per cent of India's agricultural community, are disproportionately affected due to limited adaptive capacity, the report said. "Soil degradation, rising input costs, and falling water tables are putting significant pressure on farm productivity and incomes," said Murali Babu, General Secretary of FAIFA. "We must transition from a 'grow more' approach to a 'grow better' mindset," he added. While acknowledging existing government schemes such as the crop insurance programme Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and micro-irrigation initiatives, FAIFA identified implementation gaps, including high initial costs, fragmented infrastructure, and low farmer awareness. The organisation recommended increased public investment in research and development for climate-resilient seed varieties, expanded farmer training programmes, and promotion of precision agriculture tools. FAIFA also called for targeted subsidies for renewable energy, micro-irrigation and organic inputs, while advocating for mainstream adoption of conservation agriculture and integrated farming systems. The report emphasised the need for collaboration between policymakers, research institutions and private stakeholders to scale climate-smart agriculture practices across India's diverse agricultural landscape. India, one of the world's largest agricultural producers, faces mounting pressure to balance food security needs with climate change mitigation as extreme weather events become more frequent.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Odisha government assures rabi crop loss compensation to farmers
BHUBANESWAR: As the low pressure-induced pre-monsoon rains have caused significant damage to rabi crops in several districts, the state government on Tuesday said compensation will be provided to the affected farmers as early as possible. The crop loss situation was reviewed at a high-level meeting attended by deputy chief minister-cum-Agriculture minister KV Singh Deo, Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari and Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra at Lok Seva Bhawan here. After the meeting, Pujari told mediapersons that instructions have been issued to all district collectors to send reports on crop damage within the next three to four days. He said reports have already started arriving from some of the districts. After assessment of the extent of damage, the government will send the reports to the insurance companies to pay the compensation to farmers covered under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
CM urged to release balance crop insurance amount to distressed farmers in Kalaburagi
Deputy Chairman of Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission B.R. Patil has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging him to immediately release compensation under crop insurance scheme to aid distressed farmers in Kalaburagi district, particularly those affected by failed tur (pigeon pea) crops during the 2024 monsoon season. According to the letter, 8.9 lakh hectares were under cultivation in the district during the 2024 kharif season, with tur being the predominant crop cultivated over 6.27 lakh hectares. The other major crops included black gram, green gram, soybean and cotton. With 90% of the district's agriculture rain-dependent, farmers continue to face the consequences of erratic rainfall patterns, including both excess and deficient rain. Out of the 5.35 lakh farmers, only 2.04 lakh enrolled under the Karnataka Raitha Suraksha – Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (KRS-PMFBY), indicating only 38% coverage. Mr. Patil commended the State government's revised insurance policy model (80:110) for instilling hope among farmers. Under this model, his constituency saw the formation of farmer groups in every village, resulting in 63,337 enrolments, primarily for rain-fed tur crops. However, following a 71% rainfall deficit in November, tur crops began to dry up rapidly. 'Before agricultural scientists and myself visited the fields and found solutions for the problem, the crop had already dried. Later, GPS-based crop loss assessments were conducted by village revenue officers in accordance with government guidelines. The report has been sent to the government. Previously, no MLA from Aland constituency had taken such proactive measures. As a result of this meticulous crop-cutting analysis and farmer participation, Aland taluk alone has been sanctioned ₹225 crore in insurance relief. Similar efforts by other MLAs across the district have contributed to a cumulative relief proposal of ₹656 crore,' Mr. Patil said. 'Only ₹191 crore has been disbursed to 2.03 lakh farmers via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) which included ₹75.077 crore under local disaster compensation, ₹2.62 crore for post-harvest losses and ₹119 crore released by IFCO-TOKIO insurance company. However, the remaining ₹465 crore is yet to be disbursed,' Mr. Patil said. Mr. Patil expressed concern that certain complaints from political opponents may have prompted the Finance Department to withhold the remaining funds, citing doubts over the crop loss assessments. 'The surveys were conducted honestly and transparently by government officials. Delays in compensation can discourage future farmer participation in the crop insurance scheme. With monsoon fast approaching, the farmers require immediate financial assistance to purchase seeds and fertilisers for sowing,' he said. In his letter, Mr. Patil has urged the Chief Minister to ensure the prompt release of the remaining amount to support farmers in recovering from losses and preparing for the new agricultural season.
Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
How fraud and bogus claims forced Maharashtra to abandon its Re 1 crop insurance scheme
The Maharashtra government has rolled back the Re 1 crop insurance scheme that it launched in 2023, and returned to the original Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), in which premiums are calculated as a percentage of the sum assured. Instead of the token Re 1, farmers will now pay premiums of 2% of the sum assured for kharif, and 1.5% and 5% for rabi and cash (commercial/ horticultural) crops respectively. Why has the Devendra Fadnavis government scrapped the scheme launched by the previous Mahayuti government of Eknath Shinde? What was Maharashtra's Re 1 crop insurance scheme? In March 2023, the Shinde government began a version of the PMFBY in Maharashtra that further liberalised the already heavily-subsidised structure of premiums in the central scheme that was launched in 2016. Crop insurance was made virtually free, with the government bearing the cost of the farmer's entire premium barring a symbolic Re 1. The special concession was intended to provide relief to farmers and increase insurance penetration in rural areas. So what went wrong? There was a massive surge in crop insurance applications across the state, and most claims turned out to be bogus. In 2022, before the Re 1 scheme was introduced, there were 1.04 crore applications under PMFBY, a small number of which (11,731) were found to be bogus or ineligible. Following the Re 1 scheme, applications in 2023 more than doubled to 2.42 crore, of which some 3.80 lakh were later found to be fraudulent. The trend continued in 2024, and the agriculture department had, until January 2025, rejected more than 4 lakh claim applications after finding them bogus or manipulated. What kind of bogus claims were made? The fraudulent applications were found to have falsified land records, and made claims without any actual sowing, or about land that wasn't even used for agriculture. According to agriculture department officials and reporting by The Indian Express, some claimants attempted to insure 'crops' on government-owned land, including on plots belonging to government departments such as the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). Others made claims on farmland owned by religious trusts, shrines, temples, mosques, and other non-agricultural entities. In some cases, insurance claims were made without the knowledge of the owners of the land by others who used their land records. In Chandwad tehsil of Nashik district, an application for crop insurance was received for land on which a petrol pump was found. In the same district, 'crops' on more than 100 acres of non-agricultural land were insured fraudulently. And how were these fake claims submitted? A large number of bogus applications were filed through Common Service Centres (CSCs), which are digital access points that help people submit government-related applications. The CSC operators allegedly used fake names and land details, often without landowners knowing. The identification of the bogus claims raised serious questions over the security of data and the process of verification under the scheme. What did the government do once the fake claims came to light? The scale of the misuse of the scheme had become apparent by the time of the 2024 kharif crop, and the agriculture department began physical inspections and cross-verification of claims at the application stage. To formulate a policy response, a 25-member expert committee was set up under Agriculture Commissioner Raosaheb Bhagade with the task of evaluating the extent of fraud and recommending corrective actions. In its report submitted to the agriculture department in January 2024, the committee recommended several tough measures. It said that the Re 1 insurance scheme should be scrapped and that the government should return to the original premium structure under PMFBY. Those who had been found guilty of submitting bogus claims should not receive any government subsidy for five years. CSCs that had facilitated the submission of the fraudulent claims should be blacklisted, their operator IDs should be blocked, and criminal proceedings should be initiated against them. Subsequently, 140 CSC IDs were blocked. The government has said that it was necessary to scrap the scheme in order to preserve the integrity of the insurance system, protect public funds, and ensure that only genuine and deserving farmers benefit. According to officials, enhanced verification and accountability measures introduced in 2024 have already helped curb misuse and saved several crores of rupees.
