Government schemes and policies for hill, tribal and northeastern agriculture

The agricultural landscape of India’s hill, tribal, and northeastern regions features unique ecological terrain, distinct land-tenure systems, and rich biodiversity. To improve crop productivity, protect fragile ecosystems, and raise farm incomes across these fragile areas, the Government of India operates specialized central sector schemes and sub-schemes. These initiatives focus on organic farming, infrastructure development, shift-cultivation management, and soil health preservation tailored specifically to difficult geographic terrains.

Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER)

Launched under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, MOVCDNER promotes organic farming and develops end-to-end value chains across northeastern states.

Core Objectives and Implementation

• Coverage: Implemented across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.
• Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs): Facilitates the creation of FPOs to integrate small and marginal farmers into structured commercial supply chains.
• Value Addition: Connects farmers to post-harvest processing facilities, cold storage networks, and international organic markets.
• Financial Provision: Offers financial assistance up to ₹10,000 per hectare for three years to support on-farm organic inputs and soil health maintenance.

Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

MIDH serves as an umbrella scheme for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector, offering higher financial subsidy rates for Himalayan and northeastern states.

Key Sub-Schemes and High-Altitude Focus

• Horticulture Mission for North East & Himalayan States (HMNEH): Operates as a major component of MIDH tailored to the agro-climatic conditions of 11 states, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir.
• High-Density Plantation: Promotes high-value horticultural crops like apples, walnuts, kiwi, and saffron in high-altitude zones.
• Protected Cultivation: Subsidizes green-houses and shade-net houses to protect high-value crops from extreme weather conditions in mountain regions.

Sub-Scheme on Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and Tribal Agriculture

Specialized agricultural policies address the specific livelihoods of indigenous communities through the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Agricultural Components of Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN)

• Target Audience: Focuses on 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups residing in remote habitats across 18 states and one Union Territory.
• Livelihood Assistance: Distributes high-yielding seed varieties, soil nutrients, micro-irrigation kits, and fruit saplings to tribal households.
• Multi-Purpose Centres: Establishes community processing hubs to handle post-harvest operations for minor forest produce and traditional millets.

Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (VDVY)

Administered by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), this scheme converts traditional tribal forest gatherers into value-addition entrepreneurs.

• Self-Help Groups: Forms Van Dhan Vikas Kendras comprising 300 tribal gatherers split into 15-member self-help groups.
• Forest Produce Focus: Value addition focuses on minor forest produce like wild honey, tamarind, mahua flowers, and herbal medicines.

Soil Health and Shifting Cultivation Management

Traditional shifting cultivation (Jhum) in northeastern and tribal belts faces policy interventions aimed at promoting sustainable land usage.

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) – Jhum Reconditioning

• Terrace Cultivation: Funds land leveling and terrace construction on hilly slopes to transition farmers away from destructive slash-and-burn cycles.
• Settled Agriculture: Provides high-yielding seeds, horticulture saplings, and livestock units to encourage permanent farming setups.
• Soil Conservation: Integrates agro-forestry models to restore organic matter in degraded soil profiles.

Comparative Architecture of Regional Schemes

Key Facts for Quick Revision

• MOVCDNER is a central sector scheme launched in 2015 specifically for northeastern states.
• Sikkim became India’s first 100% organic state in January 2016.
• HMNEH covers all eight northeastern states plus Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir.
• TRIFED functions as the central implementation agency for Van Dhan Vikas Kendras.
• PM-JANMAN targets 75 recognized PVTG communities living in remote locations.
• Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India) offers a decentralized, peer-review organic certification mechanism used widely in tribal belts.
• The North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) provides marketing support to farmers in the northeastern region.
• Central Agricultural University (CAU) in Imphal, Manipur addresses agricultural research and education across northeastern states.
• Bamboo is classified as a grass under the Indian Forest (Amendment) Act of 2017, allowing its commercial cultivation outside forest areas under the National Bamboo Mission.