National Food Security Mission has added to food production: Sharad Pawar

NEW DELHI; The implementation of the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) has resulted in an increase in food grain production by 42 million tonne as against the target of 20 million tonne set for the Eleventh Plan.

Agriculture and Food Processing Industries minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday informed members of parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his ministry that various interventions under NFSM have resulted in the distribution of almost 75 lakh of farm equipment, nearly 175 lakh quintals of highyielding seeds of rice, wheat and pulses, and knowledge transfer through more than 49,000 farmer field schools and 8 lakh field demonstrations. During the Twelfth Plan, the minister said the scope of NFSM is proposed to be widened to include coarse cereals under the mission. A target of additional 25 million tonne of foodgrain production has been proposed during the Twelfth Plan -- 10 million tonne of rice, 8 million tonne of wheat, 4 million tonne of pulses and 3 million tonne of coarse cereals.

“NFSM has helped to widen the food production basket of the country. The production of foodgrains in 2011-12 was at a record of 259.32 million tonne against a target of 245 million tonne. In 2012-13 too, despite drought in some parts of the country, foodgrain production is on course to realise a target of 254.24 million tonne,” he said.