Role of NHM to increase Income of Farmers

1. Alternative sources of income

• NHM helps farmers to diversify agriculture from conversation crops to high-value crops. It offers great scope to improve the income of the farmers. The cropping pattern of horticultural crops before and after availing of the benefits under the NHM program is impressive. At the aggregate level, before the implementation of the National Horticulture Mission program, the average area under horticulture was 0.71 ha which shows an increase to 1.01 ha post the adoption of the program. At the Pan-India level, the production of fruits cultivated area increased from 50.04% to 53.79% and flowers from 2.28 to 3.51%. All states show an increase in the percentage of the area following the utilization of benefits under this program.
• The staple crops such as oilseeds, cereals, and pulses occupy 76% of the total cropped area. Although, it contributes to only 41% of the total output. But, Interestingly, the almost same value was contributed by high-value crops such as fruits, vegetables, etc. Though, it occupies just 20% of the gross cropped area. That’s why the crops’ bifurcation is essential to increase a farmer’s income as well as productivity.
• For the last two decades, NHM has helped to reduce unemployment in rural areas and opened a new market opportunity for Horticulture crops. According to the surveyed beneficiaries, the descending order of sources of annual net income is Horticulture followed by Agriculture, self-business, salary/pension, livestock, and agricultural wages.  At the Pan-India level, the total annual net income has increased from Rs.9,200.84 lakh before the intervention to Rs.16,513.05 lakh post the intervention. Beneficiaries surveyed from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Kerala have gained extensive income from horticulture.
• At present India is the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world after China.
• In India’s agricultural GDP, the Horticultural sector contributes around 30%, which is very impressive.

2. Stability of income

• Under National Horticulture Mission, the price of horticulture crops is fixed by the boards. It ensures that depend on the traditional crop for the subsistence of the farmers be ensured.
• These horticultural crops play a vital role in the country’s GDP, Food security, nutritional security, poverty elevation, and employment generation. For the stabilization of overall growth, subsidies are important. The government provides 35% subsidies for vegetables and fruit seeds, 40% subsidies for hi-tech equipment, 50% subsidies for small horticulture nurseries, and 40% subsidies for flower cultivation. All those subsidies are done to ensure the stability of the income of the farmers.
• The government is also trying to ensure end-to-end support on post-harvest management, marketing, production, and processing to secure proper returns to producers.
• The Indian government is also trying to add some Horticultural products under MSP to stabilize the income of the farmers.

3. Farmer’s Access To Agricultural Credit

• National Horticulture Board provides financial assistance to the farmers as per their needs. Through several schemes, banks, and financial institutions, supply credits to the farmers. According to government data, in High-quality commercial crops, herbs, spices, Aromatic & Medicinal Plants, Seed & Nursery, Bio-Technology, micro-biology, bio-chemistry bio-diversity, tissue culture, and Bio-pesticides, Organic fertilizers, organic foods, bio-dynamic farming, vermin-compost, Beekeeping, and its products government provide ₹25 lakh per project in the plain area and ₹30 lakh per project in northeast India and hilly regions.
• On the other hand, different state governments, many foreign countries, and international institutions have come ahead to boost the horticulture sector in India. Such as Andhra Pradesh CM announced plans to spread horticulture across one-crore hectare. Himachal Pradesh had initiated Rs. 1,134 crore plan to recast its horticulture sector, aided by the World Bank. In the year 2016, the Haryana state government announced a plan to increase the horticulture cultivation area from 7% to 25%, to boost its horticulture sector by collaborating with the Netherlands.

In 2019-20, fruits and vegetables are estimated to contribute 31% and 60% of the total horticultural production. In 2021-22, the scheme has been allocated Rs 2,385 crore, which is almost 48% more than the revised estimate of the previous year.

NHM has changed farming practices in our country. It is happening by joining horticulture cultivation in conventional farming. It has increased the production and the income of the country as well as of the farmers. According to the estimate for 2020-21, horticulture production reached 312 million tonnes which are 4.6% higher than the previous year. This will prove helpful in increasing the income of the farmers.

National Horticulture Mission(NHM) is launched in the year 2005-06 under the 10th five years plan. This scheme was promoted by the Government of India and the sponsorship amount shared between the center and state is about 60% and 40% respectively. But in the case of the North-East Indian state, this distribution is 90% and 10% respectively.

The main aim of this scheme is to increase the income of the farmers, increase horticultural products, reduce unemployment create new entrepreneurs, etc. One of the important branches of agriculture is Horticulture. At present 10% of the gross cropped area of our country is occurring by horticulture crops. India is the second-largest producer of fruit (almost 98 million tonnes) and vegetables (almost 188 million tonnes) in the world.

The horticulture sector comprises a wide variety of crops from vegetables like Potato, Tomato, etc., and fruits like Mangoes, Bananas, etc. to flowers, nuts, spices, medicinal plants, and plantation crops. It provides various opportunities for generating income for Horticultural Farms.