Agriculture Ministry Hosts One Day National Workshop on ‘Per Drop More Crop’

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, organized a National Workshop on "Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)" to discuss various strategies to enhance the adoption of micro irrigation in the country.

The event, held today, brought together participants from different Ministries and Departments of the Central Government, states and union territories, irrigation industries, water management startups, and farmers' producer organizations. Manoj Ahuja, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) inaugurated the workshop. He emphasized the importance of adopting technological advancements to increase micro-irrigation coverage. By enhancing water use efficiency at the farm level, micro irrigation can significantly improve overall agricultural productivity and water conservation.

This, in turn, ensures food and nutrition security for the country and helps farmers, particularly in rainfed areas, increase their income. Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research & Education (DARE), also spoke at the inaugural session. He urged all participants to make concerted efforts to promote the large-scale adoption of micro irrigation, which can greatly reduce the water footprint of the agriculture sector.

Franklin L Khobung, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, provided a comprehensive overview of the Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) Scheme and its progress. The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has been implementing this Centrally Sponsored Scheme since 2015-16 in all states of the country.

The scheme focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at the farm level through the use of micro irrigation techniques such as drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. To date, approximately 78 lakh hectares of land have been covered under micro irrigation, which represents an 81% increase compared to the pre-PDMC period of eight years.

The government has been actively working towards increasing water productivity in agriculture, ensuring sustainable farming practices, and improving farmers' incomes. In 2018-19, a Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF) with a corpus of Rs. 5000 Crore was created in collaboration with NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development).

The fund aims to assist states in mobilizing resources to provide additional incentives to farmers, promoting micro-irrigation beyond the provisions available under the Per Drop More Crop Scheme. The government has also announced a budgetary provision to double the initial corpus of the Micro Irrigation Fund by adding another Rs. 5,000 crores.

During the program, five Gram Panchayats from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu were recognized for their outstanding efforts in adopting micro irrigation and implementing best practices in water management. Additionally, states with leading micro-irrigation initiatives shared their successful approaches and innovative methods to promote micro-irrigation among farmers. Experts from the Ministry of Jal Shakti highlighted the need to expand micro irrigation in irrigated commands and stressed its effectiveness in groundwater management.

Representatives from NABARD discussed various financing options available for scaling up micro irrigation in the country. Members of the micro-irrigation industry expressed their active support for the government's efforts in this crucial national priority program.

Franklin L Khobung also engaged in discussions with stakeholders on the draft revised guidelines for the implementation of the PDMC Scheme. During the deliberations, he underscored the crucial role of different stakeholders in the successful implementation of the scheme. He emphasized the need for state and union territory governments to streamline the implementation process and highlighted the role of micro irrigation industries in achieving the scheme's objectives.