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National Horticulture Mission (NHM)

The National Horticulture Board (NHB) is putting the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) into practice as a sub-scheme of the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture.

The primary goal of the mission was to encourage the expansion of the horticulture industry, which includes the production of cashew, cocoa, flowers, mushrooms, spices, and root and tuber crops. In accordance with this mission, 85% of the funding for the development programs will come from the Government of India (GOI), and the remaining 15% will come from the State Government.

Under the 10th five-year plan, the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) was inaugurated in the fiscal year 2005–2006.  The center and state each contributed about 60% and 40% of the sponsorship funds for this program, which was promoted by the Indian government. However, this distribution is 90% and 10%, respectively, for the state of North-East India.

This program's primary goals include boosting agricultural income, expanding horticultural output, lowering unemployment, encouraging the emergence of new businesses, etc. Horticulture is one of the key subfields of agriculture. Horticulture crops currently account for 10% of the total area in our nation that is planted. India produces nearly 98 million tonnes of fruit and nearly 188 million tonnes of vegetables, ranking second in the world.

In addition to fruits and vegetables like mangoes, bananas, and potatoes, the horticulture sector also produces flowers, nuts, spices, medicinal plants, and plantation crops. It offers numerous chances for horticultural farms to make money.

NHM's Contribution to Increasing Horticulture Farm Productivity

1. Agriculture Modernization

• By modernizing the cultivation process, the NHM's primary goal is to boost the horticulture industry's output. This entails using cutting-edge technology, natural fertilizers, eco-friendly pesticides, and other tools that enable farmers to increase their output. The following examples will help you understand it better: 
• The term "high-density planting system" refers to a contemporary planting technique. Mango, banana, papaya, and other fruits are standardized and made more productive with the help of this technique.
• Standardizing coconut, oil palm, and other crops is done using multispecies cropping systems.
• Technology for growing long-day onions at high altitudes and during the Kharif season in North India.
• A method known as "standardized protected cultivation" is used to grow plants such as capsicum, rose, gerbera, cactus, strawberry, tomato, and cucumber.

2. Worked with different Integrated Boards of Governance to coordinate

• The government has established a national horticulture board to oversee the sector's expansion. This board's task is to simplify the regulations and standards to aid in raising output. The board periodically provides guidance on the horticultural product and monitors the quality and growth of production. Additionally, they offer the product a global platform for promotion and sales. Such as –
• The National Tea Board of India, a state agency of the Indian government, was created to encourage the production, domestic trade, and export of tea from India. The National Tea Board's headquarters are in Kolkata, where it was founded in 1953.
• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry will now oversee the National Coffee Board. Bangalore serves as the National Coffee Board's corporate headquarters. This was established in order to boost coffee production, advertise it domestically and internationally, carry out research on coffee, offer financial support, etc.
• Established in 1981, the Coconut Development Board is a division of the Ministry of Agriculture. The National Coconut Board's main office is in Kochi. The development of coconut and coconut-related products is the main goal of this board.

3. Education for Farmers and Businesspeople

• The National Horticulture Mission provides training to advance the abilities of business owners. They received basic training in grafting, planting different kinds of plants, using pesticides correctly, using high-quality seeds, storage, harvesting, etc. through a variety of programs. The use of tools and equipment was also covered by their knowledge.
• A General Body is established under NHM to choose the Board of Directors, staff, and other professionals required to run the FPOs and FPCs. Input supply, technical, financial, insurance, procurement, packaging, marketing, and networking are among FPOs/FPCs' primary activities. The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) program has resulted in the establishment of numerous farmer collectives, according to conversations with nodal officers and other SHM officers.
• Farmers are gaining from these in a number of ways. Planting materials, organic or biofertilizers, tools and equipment, machinery types, transportation, collection centers, warehouses, cold storage, ripening chambers, market yards, protected cultivation structures, water structures, training, and other benefits are examples. The collectives also aid in the formation of alliances and connections with other stakeholders. The primary tasks carried out by farmer collectives include purchasing farm products, establishing connections to markets, supplying inputs, and providing training and information.

NHM's contribution to farmers' increased income:

1. Additional income sources 

• NHM supports farmers in their efforts to switch from cash crops to high-value crops. It offers great scope to improve the income of the farmers. It is impressive to compare the horticultural crops' cropping patterns before and after utilizing the NHM program's benefits. In total, the average area used for horticulture prior to the National Horticulture Mission program's adoption was 0.71 ha, increasing to 1.01 ha after the program's adoption. The production of fruits was grown in an area that increased from 50.04% to 53.79% at the national level, and the production of flowers increased from 2.28 to 3.51%. The percentage of the area using the benefits under this program has increased in all states.
• 76% of the total cropped area is devoted to the staple crops, which include cereals, pulses, and oilseeds. Even so, it only accounts for 41% of the overall output. However, it's interesting to note that high-value crops like fruits, vegetables, etc. contributed nearly the same amount of value. It only takes up 20% of the total cropped area, though. To increase a farmer's income and productivity, the crops must be divided into two parts.
• NHM has created new market opportunities for horticulture crops and decreased rural unemployment over the past 20 years. Horticulture, followed in descending order by Agriculture, self-employment, salary/pension, livestock, and agricultural wages, is the beneficiaries' top source of annual net income. The total annual net income in India as a whole increased from Rs. 9,200,84 lakh prior to the intervention to Rs. 16,513,05 lakh after the intervention. Horticulture has generated significant income for the beneficiaries surveyed in Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
• India currently ranks behind China as the world's second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables.
• Horticulture makes up a very significant 30% of India's agricultural GDP, which is quite remarkable.

2. Consistent income 

• The cost of horticulture crops is set by the boards under the National Horticulture Mission. It guarantees that the farmers' ability to survive depends on their traditional crop.
• The GDP, food and nutritional security, reduction of poverty, and creation of jobs all significantly depend on these horticultural crops. Subsidies are crucial for the stabilization of overall growth. The government provides 40% for high-tech equipment, 50% for small horticulture nurseries, 35% for vegetable and fruit seeds, and 40% for flower cultivation. All of those subsidies are provided to guarantee the farmers' stable income.
• In order to ensure proper returns for producers, the government is also working to ensure end-to-end support for post-harvest management, marketing, production, and processing.
• In an effort to stabilize farmers' income, the Indian government is also attempting to include some horticultural products under MSP.

3. Agricultural Credit Accessibility For Farmers

• According to the needs of the farmers, the National Horticulture Board offers financial assistance. Banks and other financial institutions give farmers credit through a variety of programs. According to government statistics, the government contributes 25 lakh per project in the plain area and 30 lakh per project in northeast India and hilly regions in the areas of high-quality commercial crops, herbs, spices, Aromatic & Medicinal Plants, Seed & Nursery, Bio-Technology, micro-biology, bio-chemistry, bio-diversity, tissue culture, and Bio-pesticides.
• On the other hand, numerous foreign nations, international organizations, and state governments have stepped up to support India's horticulture industry. The CM of Andhra Pradesh, for instance, announced plans to spread horticulture across one million hectares. With help from the World Bank, Himachal Pradesh launched a plan to revamp its horticulture industry for Rs. 1,134 crore. In order to strengthen its horticulture sector by working with the Netherlands, the state government of Haryana announced a plan in 2016 to increase the horticulture cultivation area from 7% to 25%.

Fruits and vegetables are expected to make up 31% and 60%, respectively, of the total horticultural production in 2019–20. The scheme will receive Rs 2,385 crore in funding for 2021–22, which is nearly 48% more than the scheme's revised estimate from the previous year.

Agriculture in our nation has changed as a result of NHM.  By combining horticulture cultivation with traditional farming, it is taking place. The country's output and income have increased, as have the farmers' as well. Horticulture production, which was estimated to reach 312 million tonnes in 2020–21, increased by 4.6% from the previous year. Increasing the farmers' income will be made possible by this.                                  
Assess the role of National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in boosting the production, productivity and income of horticulture farms. How far has it succeeded in increasing the income of farmers? (2018)