National Mission on Horticulture

Introduce yourself

India’s horticulture includes spices, fruits, vegetables, plantsation crops, mushrooms, herbs, aromatic and medicinal plant species, and spice. In order to give a significant boost to the horticulture sector and increase its productivity, India’s Government launched the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture. Within this mission is the National Mission on Horticulture. We will explore in depth the main aspects and accomplishments of this mission.

National Mission on Horticulture: Objectives

• Increase Horticultural production: In order to satisfy domestic and foreign demand, the country should increase production of fruit, vegetables, flower, and other crops.
• Improve infrastructure: Improve the infrastructure of post-harvest handling, including transportation, cold storage and processing.
• Encourage organic farming: Promote organic and sustainable farming practices to protect the environment and ensure food safety.
• Increase Farmer Income Promote high-value crop varieties and reduce post-harvest loss to increase income for farmers.
• Skill development: Farmers should be educated and trained on the latest horticultural practices and techniques.

Key programs and strategies

• Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture

  The MIDH is a centrally-sponsored scheme that was launched in order to promote the growth of horticulture. It is aimed at the development of many horticultural products, such as fruits, vegetables. root and tuber crops. mushrooms. spices. flowers. aromatic plants. coconut, cashew and cocoa.

• Micro Irrigation

  Mission encourages adoption of drip or sprinkler irrigation to promote water efficiency. It helps to conserve water and ensure adequate supplies for plants while increasing productivity.

• Protected cultivation

  To protect the crops against adverse weather and to improve their yield and quality, greenhouses, polyhouses and shade nets will be promoted. The goal is to increase the production of horticultural products in off-season.

• Post-Harvest Management

  NMH focuses on the creation of cold storage units, processing facilities and effective transportation systems in order to minimize post-harvest loss and increase value for horticultural products.

• Bio Farming

  By providing farmers with financial aid and training, the mission promotes organic farming. The mission aims to reduce the dependency on pesticides and chemical fertilizers while also meeting the increasing demand for organic products.

Success Stories

• Sikkim: The First Organic State

  Sikkim has been a great example of how organic farming is promoted by the mission. Through NMH’s continuous support and efforts, the state transformed its entire agriculture into organic. It is now India’s first 100% organic state.

• Case Study: Maharashtra – A Leader in Horticulture

  Maharashtra is a leader in the horticulture sector. This has been achieved through various initiatives, such as improving infrastructure for post-harvest and promoting micro irrigation. Horticulture Development Programme under NMH played an important role in increasing the income and productivity of state farmers.

The Way Forward

• Climate Change For horticulture to continue, it is important that we adapt to the climate changes. It will be crucial to implement climate-resilient technologies and practices.
• Links to the Market For farmers to get the best return, they need to improve market access for horticulture products through fair pricing and better value-adding.
• Infrastructure Development To minimize losses and increase the quality of produce, further investment is needed in storage, processing and transportation infrastructure.
• Research and development: Research and development is needed continuously to develop new techniques and varieties to improve productivity and the quality of horticultural products.

FAQs

1. What is National Mission on Horticulture?

   National Mission on Horticulture is part of National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture. It aims to improve the quality and productivity of Indian horticultural products. This mission is focused on organic farming, protected agriculture, micro-irrigation and post-harvest.

2. Who implements National Mission on Horticulture in India?

   It is implemented in partnership with various stakeholders and state governments in agriculture, including horticulture departments.

3. What are the main components of the National Mission on Horticulture (NMOH)?

   The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, micro-irrigation and protected cultivation are key components. Organic farming and post-harvesting management is also important. All of these aim to increase productivity and income for farmers.

4. How can NMH promote organic agriculture?

   NMH supports organic farming through financial aid, training, and awareness-raising among farmers. It is important to minimize the amount of chemical used and increase the demand for organic food.

5. What are some of the benefits to micro-irrigation in NMH?

   The use of micro-irrigation, including drip irrigation and sprinklers, can help conserve water and ensure adequate water supply for plants. This will boost productivity and improve the quality of your horticultural crop.

6. Give an example of NMH project that has been successful.

   Sikkim is one example. It has been the first state to be fully organic in India, thanks to NMH’s initiatives. It adopted sustainable agricultural methods, which provided a template for other areas aspiring to be organic.

7. What is the role of post-harvest Management in NMH

   In NMH, post-harvest management plays a crucial role in reducing losses and adding value to the horticultural products. The development of processing units and cold storage is also important to maintain the freshness and quality of produce.

8. What are the metrics used to measure NMH’s success?

   NMH is a success when it comes to increased horticultural output, quality improvement, reduction of post-harvest losses and enhanced income for farmers.

9. What future challenges lies ahead for NMH

   The future challenges will include dealing with climate change and strengthening the market links, as well as investing in storage, processing and transport infrastructure, along with continuous research for new techniques and varieties to increase productivity.