CDP-SURAKSHA

• The GOI has devised a new platform for disbursing subsidies to horticulture farmers under the Cluster Development Programme (CDP), an initiative to promote horticulture crops.

Features of CDP-SURAKSHA

• The CDP-SURAKSHA is essentially a digital platform.
• SURAKSHA stands for “System for Unified Resource Allocation, Knowledge, and Secure Horticulture Assistance.”
• The platform will allow farmers to receive subsidies instantly in their bank accounts by utilising the e-RUPI voucher from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• The platform allows access to farmers, vendors, implementing agencies (IA), cluster development agencies (CDAs), and officials of the National Horticulture Board (NHB).
• The CDP-SURAKSHA has features such as
  1. Database integration with PM-KISAN,
  2. Cloud-based server space from NIC,
  3. UIDAI validation,
  4. eRUPI integration,
  5. Local government directory (LGD),
  6. Content management system,
  7. Geotagging and geo-fencing.

Significance of the CDP-SURAKSHA

• The move seeks to push the growth of India’s horticulture sector, which contributes nearly one-third to the agriculture gross value addition (GVA).
• The total production of horticulture crops in India has spiked from 240.53 million tonnes (in 2010-11) to 334.60 million tonnes in 2020-21.

Horticulture Cluster Development Programme

• It is a central sector programme aimed at growing and developing identified horticulture clusters to make them globally competitive.
• Horticulture cluster is a regional/geographical concentration of targeted horticulture crops.
• It recognizes the importance of developing horticulture clusters across the country to assist farmers with small holdings through the formation of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).

Implementation

• It is implemented (Nodal Agency) by the National Horticulture Board (NHB) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
• The states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Mizoram, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, etc. will also be included in the list of 55 clusters, identified with their focus/main crops.
• Earlier, in the pilot phase, it was implemented in 12 clusters covering 11 States/UTs.
• These clusters will be implemented by Cluster Development Agencies (CDAs), which are appointed based on the recommendations of the respective State/UT Government.
  • A government or public sector entity, recommended by the state/central government, will be appointed as a Cluster Development Agency (CDA)

Objectives

• The CDP aims to improve exports of targeted crops by about 20% and create cluster-specific brands to enhance the competitiveness of cluster crops.
• To enhance competitiveness in the domestic and export markets in an integrated manner.
• To facilitate the introduction of innovative technologies and practices to help enhance the global competitiveness of focus cluster crops.
• Address all major issues related to the Indian horticulture sector, including pre-production, production, post-harvest management, logistics, marketing, and branding.
• Reduce harvest and post-harvest losses by developing, expanding, and upgrading the infrastructure for post-harvest handling of produce, value addition, and market linkages.
• To leverage geographical specialisation and promote integrated and market-led development of horticulture clusters.
• To converge with other government initiatives such as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.
• To build the capacity of stakeholders and enhance farmers’ income through cluster-specific interventions, including brand promotion.

Significance

• The CDP has great potential to transform the entire horticulture ecosystem by creating last-mile connectivity through the use of multimodal transport for efficient and timely evacuation and transportation of horticulture produce.
• It also will attract an estimated investment of INR 10,000 crore when implemented in all the 55 clusters.

Status of Indian Horticulture Sector

• India is the second-largest producer of horticulture crops globally, accounting for approximately 12% of the world’s production of fruits and vegetables.
• The area under horticulture crops increased to 25.5 million hectare in 2018-19, which is 20% of the total area under foodgrain, and produced 314 million tonnes.
• During 2019-20, horticulture sector has reached the highest ever horticulture production of 320.77 Million MT in the history of Indian horticulture.
• Top states in fruit production are Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh
• Top states in Vegetable production are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
• India leads the market in fruits, including mango, pomegranate, sapota, banana, acid lime, and aonla.

Initiatives for Horticulture

Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture

• MIDH is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables and other areas.
• Under MIDH, the GOI contributes 60% of the total outlay for developmental programmes in all the states (except North Eastern and Himalayan states, where the GOI contributes 90%), and state governments contribute 40%.
• It has five major schemes for horticulture:
  1. National Horticulture Mission (NHM)
  2. Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH)
  3. National Horticulture Board (NHB)
  4. Coconut Development Board (CDB) &
  5. Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH), Nagaland

Project CHAMAN

• It stands for Coordinated Horticulture Assessment and Management using geo-informatics.
• It aims to make use of Geo-informatics to help the farmers and assist the horticulture segment of Indian agriculture.