DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE MEGHALAYA WORKSHOP on AGRICULTURE STRATEGIES, POLICIES and PRACTICES GUWAHATI 30 th September – 1 st October 2010.

DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE MEGHALAYA

WORKSHOP on AGRICULTURE STRATEGIES, POLICIES and

PRACTICES

GUWAHATI 30th September – 1st October 2010

The State Agriculture Department

Directorate of Horticulture created in

1995 Directorate of Irrigation created in 2001

bifurcated into Water Resources Department in 2009

Progress of Agriculture Sector

• Ratio of cultivated area to geographical area of the State is about 15% during 2008-09

• Gross Cropped area of 3.37 lakh hectares with net cropped area of 2.84 lakh hectares and area sown more than once is 0.53 lakh hectares during 2008-09

• Cropping Intensity stagnating at 125%, still below all India Average of 130.5%

Source: Statistical Abstract 2009, Directorate of Economics & Statistics

Policy Objectives (Agriculture sub-sector)

• Shift to “Cluster Approach” – actual needs of farmers, concentration of resources, perceptible impact

• Bridging (narrowing) gap between demand (4,20,000 MT) and supply (2,00,077 MT) of Rice

• Water Management• Watershed-based development• Agri-Entrepreneurship - capacity building

Reasons for low yield in Rice production

• Popularity of local traditional varieties – preferred taste but low yield• Slow adoption of scientific farming practices - broadcasting method still in vogue• Farmers not applying complete package of practices• Land tenure system – share-cropping, ownership patterns• Inadequate credit support- low CD ratio (69%)• Labour issues – availability, cost, winter planting

Strategy to increase Rice production (Increase Productivity)

• Increase SRR (HYV, Hybrids)• Breeding varieties with acceptable taste, aroma and with higher yields – IRRI assistance • Improved cultivation practices – transplanting, SRI demonstration, prescribed package of practices • Tackling iron toxicity, acidity - STRASA

Strategy to increase Rice production (Increase Area)

• Increase area under cultivation – topography constraints; MCS, spring paddy (‘Boro’, ‘Ahu’)• Increase irrigation facilities for multiple cropping – mini check dams, STW, SWP• Mechanisation – power tillers, reapers, threshers (offset labour problems)

Irrigation/Water Management Strategy

High rainfall, high run-off

•Water-harvesting structures • Mini Irrigation Check dams • Shallow Tube Wells• Surface water pumping• Dugouts• Hydrams• Participatory water management (WUAs)

Maize

• Annual Production = 25,138 MT• Advantages – pre-kharif, kharif, pre-rabi, rabi - encourage year-round cultivationSTRATEGY• Increase cultivation of Maize & Pulses (Maize+Soyabean)• Cultivation in clusters • Varieties needed by Feed Mills

Micro Watersheds under NWDPRA

• 32 Watersheds during 9th Plan; 78 Watersheds during 10th Plan; 78 Watersheds during 11th Plan

• Ideal focal points for convergence – BRGF, NREGA, Development Departments

• Need-based micro-plans – unique to each watershed • Watershed committees are registered societies – easier

access to funds (FI, MPLADS, SRWP, RKVY, MMA)• Base for integrated farming system – livestock, fodder,

crops, aquaculture• Water-traps along water courses – irrigation• 1st tier agricultural development - subsequent tiers can

be dovetailed

Mechanisation

• Power Tillers - increased popularity and acceptance

• Low level of Subsidy - Rs.45,000/-

• Farmers difficulty in mobilising remaining amount

• Need to fix a floating % as subsidy

• Need to raise subsidy level – special consideration for NER (75%)

TREYSEFA Training of Rural Educated Youth for Self Employment in Farm-based Activities

• Foster agricultural entrepreneurship• Selection Criteria – Matriculate, possession of own or

family land • Subjects taught – agriculture, horticulture, animal

husbandry, fisheries, accounting, civil engineering, group formation, mechanisation, soil/water conservation

• Duration - 5 Months; Stipend - Rs.500 per month; Seed Money - Rs.10,000/-

• Year of inception - 2003-04 ; Youth trained – 400

• Success stories – formation of crop-growers association; rentals of machineries; integrated activity

Horticulture sub-sector……onward towards being a Fruit ‘n’ Flower State……

Consolidating traditional strengths

Capitalising on emerging opportunities

Policy Objectives

• 2nd – ginger production• 3rd – strawberries• Off-season vegetables• Leading producer of anthurium• Emerging producer of coloured

capsicum• High quality ‘Lakadong’ turmeric

(high % of curcumin)• Tasty and juicy oranges (‘Khasi

Mandarin’)• Good quality cashew• Orthodox, CTC, Green Tea• Inherently organic by tradition

Present Position

Crop Name

Area (Hectare

s)

Production

(MT)

Yield (MT/

Ha)Potato 17,690 1,61,13

89.10

Pineapple 10,523 1,02,506

9.74

Ginger 9,283 50,286 5.42

Citrus 9,368 37,702 4.03

Cashew nut

7,599 13,027 1.71

Turmeric 1,959 10,046 5.13

Traditional Strengths (data for 2008-09)

Bottlenecks and Drawbacks

• Planting material – poor quality, high cost of imports

• Post harvest losses• Handling losses – rail, air• Un-organised marketing – fluctuating price,

multi-tiered middle-men• High transport costs• High cost of packaging material • Processing facilities – rudimentary, low

volumes

Thrust Areas

• Upgrading Departmental Farms - quality planting material (QPM), private nurseries

• Tissue Culture Laboratory – large scale QPM production

• Post Harvest Management - Cold Chains (pre-coolers, cold rooms, reefers)

• Marketing – regulated markets, farmers markets, Border Haats, Look-East, Look-South, Israeli colloboration

• Agro-Processing and Value Addition• Low volume high value crops

Promising Prospects

• Improved Technology - protected cultivation, plasticulture, green house, polyhouse, shade house, micro-irrigation

• Floriculture – roses, anthuriums, liliums, carnations, gerberas, orchids, BOP, heliconia

• Exotic vegetables – bell-peppers, broccoli, cherry tomatoes

• Exotic fruits – strawberries, kiwis, raspberries, blue berries

• Organic produce - certification

• Hub-and-spoke model; C2C (Concept to Completion); Buy-back - PPP

• Centres of excellence – prescribed package of practices

• Experiments• Training – PTC+• Development of Spokes• Aggregation• Storage• Dispatch

Horti Hubs

Hub-specialitiesThadlaskein (JH) – Gerberas, Leather leaf fern, CattleyaUpper Shillong (EKH) – Gerberas, Orchids (cymbidiums)Nongstoin (WKH) – CarnationsDewlieh (RB) – Roses, StrawberriesSamgong (EGH) – Anthuriums, Bell-peppersRongram (WGH) – Anthuriums, Bell-peppers, Cherry-tomatoesMinneng (SGH) – Dendrobiums, Liliums

GOI issues

• Cost norms for protected cultivation – unrealistic, low• Need for projectised proposals• Proposal passed by SLSC modified at the Ministry level • RKVY pattern of sanction

Technology Mission on Horticulture

Subsidies

• Transport • Packaging Material

Due Diligence

• Approved rates• Approved Firms/Suppliers

THANK YOU