The main policy goal of National Policy for Farmers (NPF), 2007 is to improve economic viability of farming by substantially increasing net income of farmers. Towards this end, the major initiatives envisaged in NPF, 2007 inter alia include (i) Asset Reforms to Empower Farmers with regard to Land, Water, Livestock, Fisheries & Bio resources; (ii) Support Services including Science & Technology, Agricultural Bio Security, Agro-Meteorology, Climate Change, Inputs & Services, Credit, Insurance Cooperatives, Extension Training & Knowledge Connectivity, Marketing & Processing; (iii) Specific Initiatives for Special Categories of Farmers such as Tribal Farmers, Plantation Farmers etc.; (iv) Institutional Support for Encouraging Organic Farming, Green Agriculture etc.; and (v) Special Attention to Areas Experiencing Agrarian Distress and Enhancement in Income of Small & Marginal Farmers through Cooperative Farming, Group Farming, Contract Farming etc.
National Commission on Farmers (NCF) has suggested promoting, encouraging and assisting self help groups, cooperatives, farmer-producer companies etc. to enable farmers to avail benefits of on-going schemes/policies and improve their collective welfare. These suggestions have been incorporated suitably in the NPF, 2007.
For the purpose of skill development, providing self-employment opportunities, technology transfer etc., the Government is providing training to various individuals and organisations under its various schemes like Swaranjayanthi Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) scheme, National Horticulture Mission (NHM), Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH) etc.
This information was given by Shri Tariq Anwar, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
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