KERALA AGRICULTURE ACHIEVEMENTS AND STRATEGIES

1. KERALA AGRICULTURE ACHIEVEMENTS AND STRATEGIES

2. Contents • General Agriculture Profile • Current focus • Strategy

3. Overview of Agriculture Sector • Constitutes 14.5% of the GSDP • Dominated by plantation and horticulture crops • Fragmented holdings • Rain fed agriculture

4. Contribution to the states economy • Contribution of the sector steadily declining • Growth rate of GSDP between 2003-04 and 2007-08: 7.22% • Growth rate of agriculture in the corresponding period: 2.25% • Share of agriculture and allied sectors in GSDP

5. Share of Crops

6. Fragmented Holdings

7. Impact of fragmented land holdings • Economies of Scale lost • Below subsistence levels • Technology adoption and mechanization hampered • Adverse impact on credit flow • Limited marketable surplus • Shift from agriculture as a primary occupation • Overall stagnation in production and productivity

8. Limited Assured Irrigation • Only 16.5% of gross crop area irrigated (2007-08) • Approximately 30% of paddy crop area irrigated • 21% of coconut crop area irrigated • 80% of banana crop area irrigated • Poor state of lift irrigation and minor irrigation projects • Major Irrigation Projects have not been able to achieve the ayacuts envisaged • Poor conveyance efficiency (approx 40%-50%)

9. Current Focus • Focus on area expansion, productivity enhancement and Farmers’ welfare • Farming systems approach • Multi species cropping system + supplementary enterprises • Strengthening Extension • Strengthening quality input supply • Strengthening marketing, processing, value addition • Addressing Irrigation needs • Popularising Mechanisation

10. Crop Development Strategy (Paddy) • State Food Security Programme • Total allocation of Rs.36 crores for 2009-10 • Targeting production of 9.75 lakh MT by the end of 11th plan • Paddy Mission launched • Specific Pockets identified for enhanced and focused interventions and investments by forming local paddy development agencies • Assistance for fallow land cultivation • Participatory Technology Development

11. Crop Development Strategy (Paddy) • Renovation of Lift Irrigation Projects • Allocation: Rs.20 crores • No. of projects: 177 • Focus on Minor Irrigation • Malabar Irrigation Package • Rehabilitation/renovation of check dams, regulators, VCBs • Allocation: Rs.11 crores • Participatory Irrigation Management

12. Crop Development Strategy (Paddy) • Convergence with LSGIs • Additional 10 acres of fallow in each Panchayat targeted • Converging subsidies • Agro-service and custom hiring centres in association with LSGIs • Proactive engagement in extension • Ensuring availability of quality seeds • Targeted SRR – 50% • Strengthening RSGP and Seed Village Program • Soil Health and Micronutrient mapping • Subsidising Credit • Comprehensive Insurance Coverage for Paddy • Comprehensive Procurement Targeted • MSP – Rs.11 per kg

13. Crop Development Strategy (Coconut) • Objective • Increasing returns from limited holdings and enhancing productivity • Intercropping • Subsidiary enterprises • Strengthening cluster farming • Removal of diseased and senile palms • Rejuvenation of plantations – better management • Converging assistance across schemes (SHM for intercropping) • Improving Irrigation in association with LSGIs • Strengthening product diversification and value addition • MSP for copra

14. Horticulture Development • Focus crops identified • Pineapple, pepper, banana, cashew • Area expansion and productivity enhancement • Strengthening seeds and planting material production and supply • Mobilising public and private sectors • Instituting a mechanism for quality control • Ensuring convergence across efforts and schemes implemented by SHM and DoA • Post Harvest Management, Processing and Marketing • Proactively seek private sector participation • Revamp public sector infrastructure

15. Crop Development Strategy (Pepper) • Area expansion through intercropping • Replanting old and unproductive vines • Improved pest and disease management • R&D for addressing pest management of support trees • Organic production for export market • Improved post harvest management, processing, value addition (targeting export market) • Special Package for pepper rejuvenation implemented through Spices Board in Idukki

16. Crop Development Strategy (Cashew) • Focus on improving stock • Replanting senile plants with new varieties of cashew grafts • Ensuring supply of quality planting material • Organic Cashew Farming • Targeting export market • Quality certification and standardisation • Special Cashew Package under SHM for Rs. 57.5 crores underway

17. Crop Development (Vegetables) • Targeting production of 7.5 lakh MT • VFPCK Model • Farmers groups for seed production • Seeds centrally processed (cleaned, dried, graded, packed) • Truthfully labelled seeds made available to farmers • Registered Vegetable and Fruit Growers • Effective Credit Management (low borrowing rates for growers) • Efficient Marketing Interventions (marketing by the farmers groups through VFPCK marketing infrastructure)

18. Crop Development (Vegetables) • Thousand Vegetable Villages Programme • Cluster approach • Popularising homestead cultivation • Subsidiary income generation for paddy farmers • Marketing • Linkage with VFPCK and Horticorp • Facilitating localised marketing • Nedumangad Model: Centralised procurement, grading and auction through farmers groups • Streamlining Seeds Production and Supply • Targeting production of 75 MT • Registered Seeds Growers • Foundation seeds in State Seed Farms • Proposals for processing and storage infrastructure

19. Crop Development (Vegetables) • Promotion of Organic Cultivation • Certification • High Value products • Controlled cultivation • Cultivation of vegetables for the export market • Ethnic vegetables • Establishing forward linkages (processing and marketing) • Targeting the CIAL hinterland

20. Crop Development (Banana) • Target • Area expansion – 13000 ha • Production – 1.2 lakh tonnes • Convergence of efforts across VFPCK and SHM • Area and production enhancement • R&D for value addition • Improving Irrigation Facilities • In association with LSGIs • Rehabilitating ponds/wells • Promotion of Organic Banana cultivation

21. Extension • ATMA framework as the backbone • Proactive engagement of stakeholders • Institutionalising Research-Extension interface • Strengthening training and capacity building • Strengthening of communication channels • Monthly ATMA newsletter • Community Radio Stations (proposed) • Information bill boards (proposed)

22. Agriculture Mechanization • Establishing and Strengthening Custom hiring and Agro-service Centres • In association with LSGIs • Training and Capacity Building of SHGs • Partial assistance for infrastructure development • Proper Inventory Management • Research and Development • Homestead cultivation oriented • Paddy oriented (localised needs) • Streamlining role of Agro Industries Corporation

23. Credit Status Co-operatives Total no. of co-operatives - 13197 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies - 1594 Total loan disbursed through PACs (2007-08) - 20755.9 crores Commercial banks Rural banks - 321 Semi urban - 2576 Urban - 931 Total - 3836 Total Credit - 71226 crores Kissan Credit Card No. of Kissan Credit cards issued as on 31-03-2008 - 9.21lakhs Loan outstanding - 1645.79 crores Annual Credit flow to Agriculture - 15960 crores

24. Credit Status

25. Risk Management & Farmers’ Welfare • Comprehensive Insurance programmes • NAIS • Weather based crop Insurance • State Crop Insurance • Comprehensive coverage for paddy • Kissan Abhiman (pension) • Kisan Shree (accident insurance) • Commodity Safety Net Scheme envisaged

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