AGRICLINICS AND AGRIBUSINESS SERVICES TO FARMERS Central Sector

AGRI-CLINICS AND AGRI-BUSINESS SERVICES TO FARMERS

Central Sector Scheme of AGRI-CLINICS AND AGRIBUSINESS CENTRES (AC & ABC) OBJECTIVES v To support Agriculture development v To supplement the efforts of public extension and v To create gainful self-employment opportunities to unemployed Agricultural Graduates, Agricultural Diploma holders, Intermediate in Agriculture, and Science Graduates with PG in Agri related subjects.

Overall Progress of the Scheme (as on 21/10/2013) Total No. of Candidates trained: 34817 of Agri-ventures established: 13601 of projects pending with the banks: 6060 of projects sanctioned by the banks: 1654 of projects that received subsidy : 816

Feedback from Non Starters 25% - pursued higher studies 22% - employed in public & private sector 19% - discouraged by lack of finance and non cooperation from the banks 60% of the non-starters are willing to reapply for loan if banks cooperate

Major Constraints Availability of candidates for training Capability of the Nodal Training Institutes with respect to training and handholding support and its linkages with different stakeholders Support to the trained graduates in availing timely /adequate credit and easy availability of the subsidy to him Slow loaning and subsidy release - response of bankers towards credit/subsidy flow to the trained agri -preneurs Small enterprises established with their own investment or a very low credit need greater support for their sustainability.

Modified ACABC Scheme q Enlarged eligibility criteria q Enhanced financial norms for training q Additional 10% charges for NE & Hill States q Refresher Training for Successful agri-preneurs q Existing capital & interest subsidy replaced with Composite Subsidy (36% and 44%) q Enhanced ceiling cost of the projects for subsidy purpose (20 / 25 lacs and 100 lacs)

TRAINING NETWORK v Mo. U finalized with 98 Nodal Training Institutions (NTIs) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. State Agriculture Universities State Government Institutes NGOs Agribusiness Companies Institutes of Co-operative Management Krishi Vigyan Kendras - 16 08 36 17 11 10

SELECTION OF CANDIDATES v NTIs will advertise the scheme and collect the applications. v Non-refundable Registration Fee Rs. 500/. v Scrutiny of applications by NTI and an official from ATMA/Block Technology Team/ Agri. & Allied departments. v Selection is based on a scoring model by a Committee consisting of representatives of NTI, MANAGE, KVK, NABARD, Bank, State Agri & Allied Departments and Agri-Business Company.

TRAINING CONTENT v Basic Agriculture Knowledge v Central and State Government Schemes v Field Visits v Agricultural Extension v IT enabled Agricultural Extension Advisory Services v Agri-entrepreneurship Development including Market Survey, Hands on Experience and preparation of Detailed Project Report.

HANDHOLDING – FOR ONE YEAR v Through Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs) v Individual Progress Sheet v Interface meetings at State / Institute level v Visits to individual enterprises v Interaction with Bankers v Involvement in ATMA and other Public Extension Activities v Updating pending and sanctioned loans v Documentation of success story

INFORMATION SUPPORT SERVICE Website: Helpline http: //www. agriclinics. net no. 1800 425 1556 Agripreneur – (Monthly E-Bulletin)

LOAN & SUBSIDY Project Cost: v Individual Projects : Rs. 20. 00 lakhs v Group Projects : Rs. 100. 00 lakhs (5 member group) v An additional limit of Rs. 5. 00 lakhs subsidy is also provided for extremely successful ventures v Margin Money : 10 – 15 % or as decided by individual banks Bank Loans: Type of Loan - Composite Term Loan (fixed cost + cost for one operative cycle)- At least 10% of the project cost should be in the form of capital investment Security : v Hypothecation of assets, mortgage of lands or third party guarantee. v Collateral Security is waived up to Rs. 5. 00 lakhs loan.

Repayment Period: v 5 – 10 years depending upon the project. v Gestation period – Maximum two years as per the nature of the project Rate of Interest : As determined by Bank (Commercial / Private Bank / RRB / State Cooperative Bank). Composite Subsidy: v Credit Linked and back ended subsidy with lock-in period of 3 years. v Subsidy will be released by NABARD to the Banks up-front

v 36% Subsidy on a maximum Project Cost of Rs. 20. 00 lakhs (Rs. 100. 00 lakhs for Group) for general category and 44% for SC, ST, women, Hilly States (NE States, J&k, H. P and Uttaranchal). v The benefit of subsidy will be extended maximum twice to a candidate under the Scheme within the prescribed loan limits v Payment of back-ended subsidy will be linked to extension services provided by Agripreneur. v The cut-off date of April 2004 for subsidy eligibility is now removed. Project Activities: v 32 Projects mentioned (only illustrative). v Any Project which provide services to the farmers. Hand Holding by Nodal Training Institutions: Up to one year

ACABC Over the Years… Year Physical Target & Achievement Target (Training) Achievement Ventures Established Success Rate (%) 2002 -03 3245 3058 416 13. 60 2004 -05 3500 2977 783 26. 30 2006 -07 3000 3149 1081 34. 33 2008 -09 3000 2503 824 32. 92 2009 -10 3000 2564 1111 43. 33 2011 -12 4000 4015 2139 53. 28 2012 -13 4400 4439 2250 50. 69 Total 37245 32683 12992 39. 75

State-wise Progress (21/10/2013) S. No. State Trained Established 1458 555 14 2 487 172 2817 951 1 Andhra Pradesh 2 Arunachal Pradesh 3 Assam 4 Bihar 5 Chandigarh 2 1 6 Chattisgarh 281 149 7 Delhi 13 2 8 Goa 3 1 9 Gujarat 1150 401 10 Haryana 457 158 11 Himachal Pradesh 416 108 12 Jammu and Kashmir 1206 157 13 Jharkhand 559 128 14 Karnataka 2634 1060 15 Kerala 174 45 16 Madhya Pradesh 963 364

S. No. State Trained Established 7340 3117 382 113 9 3 17 Maharashtra 18 Manipur 19 Meghalaya 20 Mizoram 34 0 21 Nagaland 149 13 22 Orissa 507 105 23 Pondicherry 97 60 24 Punjab 426 149 25 Rajasthan 2408 856 26 Tamilnadu 3462 1649 27 Tripura 1 0 28 Uttar Pradesh 6603 3120 29 Uttaranchal 285 78 30 West Bengal 480 84 34817 13601 Total

AGRO-VENTURES ESTABLISHED (05 -08 -2013) Sl. No Name of the Activity No. of Agriventures Established 1 Agri-Clinics 2019 2 Agri-Clinics and Agribusiness Centres 5321 3 Agro-Eco Tourism 9 4 Animal Feed Unit 42 5 Bio-fertilizer production and Marketing 93 6 Contract Farming 47 7 Cultivation of Medicinal Plants 106 8 Direct Marketing 167 9 Farm Machinery Unit 317 10 Fisheries Development 252

Sl. No Name of the Activity No. of Agriventures Established 11 Floriculture 92 12 Horticulture Clinic 105 13 Landscape + Nursery 99 14 Nursery 320 15 Organic Farming 82 16 Pesticides Production and Marketing 30 17 Post Harvest Management + value addition 166 18 Fisheries clinic 14 19 Seed Processing and & Agri-business 277 20 Soil Testing Laboratory 95

Sl. No Name of the Activity No. of Agriventures Established 21 Tissue culture unit 27 22 Vegetable production & Marketing 95 23 Vermi Composting / Organic manure 439 24 Veterinary Clinics 772 25 Crop production 170 26 Dairy/Poultry/Piggery/Goat etc 2221 27 Rural Godowns 45 28 Production & Marketing of Bio-Control Agents 14 29 Agriculture Journalism 16 30 Sericulture 37 31 Mushroom Cultivation 51 32 Apiary 61 Total 13601

BANKERS MUST PLAY A PROACTIVE ROLE Subsidy Flow in 2011 -12 and 2012 -13 together was Rs. 13. 58 crores whereas it was only Rs. 5. 41 crores since beginning till 2010 -11

Issues in up-scaling Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres • Not attracting serious candidates to the scheme • Need for Quality NTIs which produce results • Slow pace of Loan and Subsidy disbursement • Lack of convergence between ATMA and Agripreneurs

Mr. Vijay Bharat, Post Graduate in Agriculture Founder of “Mobile Agricultural School & Services (MASS)” Ranchi, Jharkhand, Ph: 09431588284 v MASS started in 2006 is an Agri-services and training centre on wheels moving from village to village equipped with audio-visual aids such as projector, screen, laptop, electronic board and CDs on best farm practices v v Offers agri-inputs and consultancy services at the door steps of the farmer Extension services – Imparts training in the bus itself at the village on ATMA activities and other Government programmes. v v v Provides on farm services to farmers such as soil testing MASS develops agricultural films and use it as a tool for training. Plans to replicate the model in neighboring states, villages and Glamorizing Agriculture. v Farmers covered – 1, 50, 000 in 26 districts of Jharkhand Bihar States v Direct Employment to 19 persons v Annual turnover Rs. 1. 24 crore

Mr. Samir Ranjan Bordoloi, B. Sc. (Agri) S. S. Botanicals, The Agri-Clinic cum Agri-Business Centre, Tarajan, Jorhat, Assam; Ph: 098540 -49583 Started in 2003 v Operating in Jorhat, Golaghat, Sibsagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Karbi-Anlong and Nagoan districts v Services available v Advisory – Tea, Organic Farming, other crops v Soil Testing v Market Information v Farmers’ Training, Farmer - Scientist Interaction v Agri-Business Centre - Wholesale and retail sale of Organic Inputs, Vermicompost, Bio-pesticides, Bio-fertilizers, Seeds, Farm Equipments, Shade Net, Inorganic Inputs etc. v Involved in ATMA and Horticulture Technology Mission activities v

v Krishok Bandhu Help Card (Farmers Registration Card)Already more than 3000 registered farmers v Strategic partnership with FERTILE GROUND, CANADA for organic farming and Agri-Tourism. v Publication of “PRAKRITI” – Bi-monthly News Letter for cultivators @ Rs. 5/- per copy. NABARD, Guwahati subscribed 500 copies for Farmers’ Club members v Annual Turnover more than Rs. 2. 00 crores v Employment – 30 persons direct, 150 persons indirect

Mr. Soibam Surchandra Singh, P. G. D. F. Sc. S. Tomba & Sons Ingetrated Fish Farming Pvt. Ltd. Hiyangthang Mamang Leikai, P. O. Wangoi, Imphal West District, Ph. : 9856082269 v v v v Started in 2007 High density production of pengba endemic medium fish through special breeding technique with the help of Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow Introduced composite fish farming in Manipur among farmers Increased rearing capacity of Pengba from 8000 number per hectare fingerling to 20, 000 fingerling Increased fish productivity from earlier 3 ton / ha. to 7. 5 ton / ha. Farmers covered – more than 1000 Employment – direct 35 persons, indirect more than 300 Annual turnover – More than Rs. 1. 5 crores

Provides Disease free, Healthy fish carp seed of Pengba species to farmers Mr. Soibam Suruchandra Singh

Mrs. Sangeeta Deepak Sawalakhe (M. Sc. Agri), Vidharbha Biotech Lab - MIDC - 856, Lohara, Yeotmal Mobile. No: 09422869423 v Vidharbha Biotech Lab in 1996 v Production and marketing of bio pesticides and bio fertilizers v Extension Service – Providing extension services in the areas of soil and water testing, Awareness of organic farming, Free Consultancy Services regarding pest and diseases of major crops to the farmers. v Farmers Covered – 5000 v Direct Employment for 26 persons in Lab and Marketing v Investment – 50 lacs (Fixed 35 lacs & Operational 15 lacs) v Annual Turnover – Around Rs. 1 to 1. 25 crores

Inauguration of Packing unit

Ms. M. Nila, Super Agro Products, Pollachi, Tamilnadu, Mobile: 9843031631, Email; Superagroinputs@rediffmail. com v Age : 41 Years v Qualification : M. Sc (Agri. Mkg & management) from TNAU , Coimbatore in 1994 v ACABC Training from TNAU (CARDS) Coimbatore in 2005 v Activity started in December 2006 v Activity : Micronutrients Mfg, and sale, Agri consultancy Covering 1200 farmers in 75 villages v Employment provided to 25 persons (Direct & Indirect) v Turnover : Rs. 75. 00 lakhs v Husband joined her venture resigning private job