Krishonnati Yojana – Sub Mission On Seed And Planting Material (SMSP)

About Krishonnati Yojana – Sub Mission On Seed And Planting Material (SMSP)

The “Sub Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)” is a centrally sponsored scheme functioning under the umbrella “Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana.”

“Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana” is an Umbrella Scheme for agriculture that has been in effect since 2016-17, bringing together several individual schemes and missions under one framework. It comprises 11 Schemes/Missions aimed at developing the agriculture and allied sectors in a holistic, scientific manner so as to raise farmers’ incomes through better production, productivity, and returns.

SMSP is designed to raise the output of certified/quality seed, push up the Seed Replacement Rate (SRR), improve the quality of farm-saved seed, reinforce the seed multiplication chain, introduce new technologies and methods in seed production, processing and testing, and build up and modernize infrastructure for seed production, storage, certification, and quality.

Objectives of SMSP –

1. Raising the output of certified/quality seed 1. Pushing up the Seed Replacement Rate (SRR), with particular focus on achieving a higher SRR for crops such as paddy, gram, groundnut, cotton, etc., as recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Consultative Group 1. Improving the quality of farm-saved seed, with the specific goal of covering 60,000 villages and generating 100 lakh quintals of seed annually through farmers’ participatory seed production 1. Building Seed Infrastructure facilities within the Public Sector 1. Promoting seed treatment, especially of farm-saved seed 1. Reinforcing the seed multiplication chain by assisting both public and private sector players 1. Popularizing new varieties so as to encourage varietal replacement 1. Introducing new technologies and methods for seed production, processing, testing, etc. 1. Building up and modernizing infrastructure for seed production, storage, certification, and quality control, particularly to comply with the Seeds Bill 2004/ISTA standards and OECD certification 1. Enabling seed to move out of India in international trade and raising its share to 10% by 2020, as envisioned in the new seed development policy 1. Supporting and assisting public and private seed-producing organizations and fostering partnerships among them 1. Guaranteeing seed availability in contingency situations 1. Spreading seed-related information through IEC (information, education, and communication) activities 1. Establishing an effective system, through PPVFRA, to protect plant varieties along with the rights of farmers and plant breeders, and to encourage development of new plant varieties

Components of SMSP – 1. Strengthening Seed Quality Control 2. Strengthening of Grow Out Test (GOT) facilities 3. Support for seed certification agencies 4. Seed Village Programme 5. Certified seed production via seed villages 6. Seed Processing Facilities 7. Seed Storage Facilities 8. Transport subsidy for seed movement to the North Eastern States, etc. 9. National Seed Reserve 10. Application of biotechnology in agriculture 11. Public-Private Partnership in the seed sector 12. Assistance to boost seed production in the Private Sector 13. Support for the Sub-Mission Director and for Surveys/Studies 14. Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA)