Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Calls for ‘Team Agriculture’ to Make India a Global Food Basket

Key Highlights:

• Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan called for 'Team Agriculture' to make India a global food basket.
• Over ₹1200 crore was sanctioned to 10 states under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY).
• India's agriculture growth rate increased from 3% to 4.5% since 2015.
• Annual foodgrain production increase doubled to 84 lakh tonnes per year.
• A nationwide 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' was announced from October 22 to November 30.
• 100% assured government procurement of tur, urad, and masoor at Minimum Support Price (MSP) will be undertaken.

Detailed Insights:

• The call for 'Team Agriculture' emphasizes Centre-state cooperation for food security and farmer welfare, rising above party politics.
• Financial sanctions under PM-RKVY aim to ensure timely resource availability for scheme implementation in states.
• New mechanisms include monthly virtual reviews with states and strong State/District Agriculture Teams to strengthen cooperative federalism.
• An annual calendar for pre-season interface meetings (Kharif: May 10/17; Rabi: Sept 10/17) was announced for advance preparation.
• 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' will promote balanced fertilizer use based on Soil Health Cards and pulse cultivation in rice fallow areas.
• Rabi preparations focus on soil moisture, water availability, crop protection, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) saturation, and transparent Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs).
• States are directed to take strict action against spurious agricultural inputs and eliminate forced tagging of products.
• The government's strategy includes strengthening post-harvest management, scientific warehousing, and leveraging Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) for global market access.
• Promotion of natural farming, integrated farming systems, and crop diversification is urged for sustainable and remunerative agriculture.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY): A scheme to incentivize states to increase public investment in agriculture and allied sectors.
• Minimum Support Price (MSP): A guaranteed price set by the government for agricultural produce to protect farmers against sharp price falls.
• Kisan Credit Card (KCC): A credit scheme providing farmers with timely and adequate credit for their agricultural needs.
• Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs): Field experiments to estimate crop yield for insurance claims and agricultural statistics.
• Soil Health Card: A printed report given to farmers providing information on nutrient status of their soil and recommendations.
• Free Trade Agreement (FTA): A pact between two or more countries to reduce barriers to imports and exports among them.