HPAS/Allied Mains 2022 Answer Writing Challenge Day 35: Model Answer

Question: What is National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture ? What are the four major programmes of NMSA ? ( 4 Marks )

Answer: 

It is one of the major missions of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC.)  Change in agricultural practices also plays a crucial role in the mitigation of climate change effects. This mission tries to comprehensively revamp the agricultural practices so that the desired objectives of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC’s) can be achieved.

4 Major Programmes of NMSA

1. Rainfed Area Development (RAD)

• Develops an area-based approach for the development and conservation of natural resources along with farming systems. It is a combination of various aspects of agriculture such as crops, fishery, livestock, horticulture, forestry and other agro-based activities which will act as a source of generating revenue.
• Implement practices that will regulate soil nutrient based on soil health card, development of farming lands.
• Using an approach that is cluster-based, with an area of 100 hectares or more
• Develop new property resources which would be common, like a bank for grains, fodder, shredders for biomass, combined marketing initiative.

2. On-Farm Water Management (OFWM)

• The primary focus is optimum utilisation of water by promoting advanced on-farm water conservation equipment and technologies.
• Emphasis on efficient harvesting and management of rainwater.
• Water conservation on the farm itself by digging farm ponds utilising funds from MGNREGA mission.

3. Soil Health Management

• Promote sustainable practices which preserve the health of soil based on a specific location and the type of crops that could be grown in those locations by taking the help of various techniques like management of residue, organic farming by making new maps with details on soil fertility and linking them with macro-management and micromanagement of nutrients, optimum land use, right utilisation of fertilisers and reducing degradation & erosion of soil.
• Use of thematic maps generated with the help of Geographical Information System (GIS) technology and the databases created on soil and land with the help of scientific surveys.
• State Government, Soil and land Use Survey of India (SLUSI), National Centre of Organic Farming (NCOF), Central Fertilizer Quality Control and Training Institute (CFQC&TI).

4. Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture: Monitoring, Modeling and Networking (CCSAMMN)

• Create and disseminate knowledge and updated information on climate change.
• Support pilot blocks for spreading rainfed technologies and co-ordinate with other schemes or missions like MGNREGS, NFSM, RKVY, IWMP, Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program (AIBP), NMAET.