CDP-SURAKSHA

• 19 Apr 2024

For Prelims: About CDP-Suraksha, Status of Horticulture in India, Technology in Agriculture.

For Mains: Role of technology in doubling the income of farmers, Farm subsidies related Issues and Way Forward, Investment in Agriculture, Agricultural Reforms.

Source: IE

Why in News?

Recently, the Central government has launched a new platform called CDP-SURAKSHA to disburse subsidies to horticulture farmers under the Cluster Development Programme (CDP).

• This will boost the growth of India’s horticulture sector, which contributes nearly one-third to the agriculture gross value addition (GVA).

What is CDP-SURAKSHA?

• About:
  • SURAKSHA stands for “System for Unified Resource Allocation, Knowledge, and Secure Horticulture Assistance.”
  • The platform will allow an instant disbursal of subsidies to farmers in their bank accounts by utilising the e-RUPI voucher from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
  • It has features such as database integration with PM-KISAN, cloud-based server space from NIC, UIDAI validation, eRUPI integration, local government directory (LGD), content management system, geotagging, and geo-fencing.
• Working:
  • The platform allows access to farmers, vendors, implementing agencies (IA), cluster development agencies (CDAs), and officials of the National Horticulture Board (NHB).
  • A farmer can login using their mobile number, place an order and contribute their share of the cost of planting material.
  • After payment, an e-RUPI voucher will be generated. This voucher will then be received by a vendor, who will provide the required planting material to the farmer.
  • After the delivery of material, farmers have to verify the delivery through geo-tagged photos and videos of their field.
  • After verification, the implementing agencies (IA) will release the money to the vendor for the e-RUPI voucher. The vendor will be required to upload an invoice of the payment on the portal.
  • The IA will collect all the documents and share them with the CDA for subsidy release, then only the subsidy will be released to the IA.
  • However, the farmer, who raised the demand for the plant material using the platform, can avail of the subsidy at the first stage only.

What is e-Rupee?

• It is a one-time payment mechanism that enables users to redeem the voucher without a card, digital payments app or internet banking access, at the merchants accepting UPI e-Prepaid Vouchers.
• The e-RUPI would be shared with the beneficiaries for a specific purpose or activity by organisations via SMS or QR code.

What is the Status of the Horticulture Sector in India?

• India is the 2^nd largest producer of fruits and vegetables.
• Fruits and vegetables account for almost 90% of the total horticulture production in the country.
• The Indian horticulture sector contributes about 33% to the agriculture Gross Value Added (GVA) making a very significant contribution to the Indian economy.
• India is currently producing about 320.48 million tons of horticulture produce which has surpassed the food grain production, that too from a much smaller area (25.66 million Ha. for horticulture against 127.6 M. ha. for food grains).
  • The productivity of horticulture crops is much higher compared to the productivity of food grains (12.49 tones/ha against 2.23 tones/ha.).
• According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), India leads in the production of certain vegetables (ginger and okra) and fruits (banana, mangoes and papaya).
  • In terms of exports, India is ranked 14^th in vegetables and 23^rd in fruits, and its share in the global horticultural market is a mere 1%.
  • Bangladesh, UAE, Nepal, Netherlands, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the UK, Oman, and Qatar are the major export destinations for fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Around 15-20% of the fruits and vegetables in India are wasted along the supply chain or at a consumer level, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).

What is the Cluster Development Program (CDP)?

• About:
  • It is a central sector programme aimed at growing and developing identified horticulture clusters to make them globally competitive.
  • A horticulture cluster is a regional/geographical concentration of targeted horticulture crops.
• Implementation:
  • It will be implemented by the National Horticulture Board (NHB) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
  • In a pilot phase, the programme will be implemented in 12 horticulture clusters, out of the total 55 clusters selected for the programme.
  • These clusters will be implemented through Cluster Development Agencies (CDAs) which are appointed on the recommendations of the respective State/UT Government.
• Objectives:
  • To address all major issues related to the Indian horticulture sector including pre-production, production, post-harvest management, logistics, marketing and branding.
  • CDP aims to improve exports of targeted crops by about 20% and create cluster-specific brands to enhance the competitiveness of cluster crops.
  • To leverage geographical specialisation and promote integrated and market-led development of horticulture clusters.
  • To converge with other initiatives of the Government such as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.
• Examples:
  • Some clusters identified for the implementation of CDP are:
    • Siphahijala (Tripura) for pineapple
    • Solapur (Maharashtra) and Chitradurga (Karnataka) for pomegranate
    • West Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya) for turmeric.

What are the Challenges Faced by the Horticulture Sector?

• Production Challenges: Such as small operational landholdings, lack of irrigation facilities and poor soil management, threat of pests etc.
• Institutional Challenges: The limited outreach of farm insurance and farm mechanisation, combined with a lack of access to institutional credit for small and marginal farmers, contribute to lower investment in the sector.
• Climate Change: Climate change-related events such as changing weather patterns, droughts, floods, and other natural disasters, are another significant challenge that can lead to crop failures and losses.
• Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO): Weak FPOs are also the sector's challenges, limiting farmers' ability to benefit fully from the opportunities available.
• Infrastructural Issues: Other challenges such as the perishable nature of fruits and vegetables, Poor logistics and lack of equitable cold storage and warehousing facilities, a lack of guidance for farmers on which crops to plant, resulting in overproduction of certain commodities and shortages of others.

What Initiatives have been Taken for for the Development of the Horticulture Sector?

• National Horticulture Board (NHB):
  • It was set up by the Government of India in 1984 as an Autonomous organization under the administrative control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
  • It aims to improve the integrated development of the Horticulture industry and to help in coordinating, and sustaining the production and processing of fruits and vegetables.
• Cluster Development Programme:
  • It aims to promote the integrated and market-led development of pre-production, production, post-harvest, logistics, branding, and marketing activities by leveraging the geographical specialisation of horticulture clusters
• CHAMAN (Coordinated Horticulture Assessment and Management using geo-informatics):
  • Under this project, sound methodology for estimation of Horticulture crops is being developed and implemented on pilot basis using Sample Survey methodology and Remote Sensing technology.
• Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH):
  • It is a centrally sponsored scheme for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, root & tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashews, cocoa and bamboo.
  • Subschemes:
    • National Horticulture Mission (NHM)
    • Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH)
    • National Horticulture Board (NHB)
    • Coconut Development Board (CDB)
    • Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH), Nagaland.
• Horticulture Area Production Information System (HAPIS):
  • This is a web portal for the online submission of district-level data pertaining to area and production of horticulture crops.
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY):
  • It is addressing the irrigation problem which aims to promote the development of irrigation infrastructure, expand the cultivable areas, and enhance on-farm water efficiency.

Way Forward

• To enhance the productivity of this sector and to improve the livelihood of farmers, the effective and timely disbursal of subsidies is essential.
• There is tremendous scope for enhancing the productivity of Indian horticulture which is imperative to cater to the country’s estimated demand of 650 Million MT of fruits and vegetables by the year 2050.

Drishti Mains Question:

Q. Discuss the sustainability of providing subsidies as a solution to various issues in India, and analyse whether it imposes a burden on the fiscal purse. Support your argument with relevant examples.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q1. Under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, short-term credit support is given to farmers for which of the following purposes? (2020)

1. Working capital for maintenance of farm assets
2. Purchase of combine harvesters, tractors and mini trucks
3. Consumption requirements of farm households
4. Post-harvest expenses
5. Construction of family house and setting up of village cold storage facility

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 5 only
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2, 3, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Ans: (b)

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Mains:

Q. Assess the role of the 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)