Mission Organic Value Chain Development For North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER)

The Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) is a scheme launched by the Indian government to promote organic farming in the North Eastern Region of the country. The scheme was introduced in 2016 with the aim of replacing conventional farming methods with sustainable, high-value commercial organic enterprises. The scheme also seeks to empower farmers in the region by organizing them into farmer interest groups and eventually federating them into farmer-producer organizations/companies. Through this scheme, the government hopes to develop organic parks/zones for specific commodities and create state-specific lead agencies to coordinate and monitor the development and operationalization of the entire value chain. The overarching goal of MOVCDNER is to boost the income of farmers in the North Eastern Region and promote sustainable agriculture practices.

Scheme Overview 

• Scheme Name: Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER)     
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
• Scheme launched: January 2016
• Type of Government Scheme: Central Government of India
• Sponsored / Sector Scheme: Central sector scheme
• Sub-mission of: National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
• Operational States: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura

Objectives of MOVCDNER

• Organizing producers into Farmer Interest Groups and then federating them into farmer-producer organizations/companies to give them program ownership.
• Replacing conventional and subsistence farming systems with self-sustainable and high-value commercial organic enterprises based on available resources.
• Development of organic parks/zones for specific commodities.
• Creating organic products as brands/labels by facilitating stronger marketing access and brand building under the ownership of growers’ organizations/companies.
• Establishing state-specific lead agencies such as Organic Commodity Board or Organic Mission, to coordinate, support, monitor and finance the development and functioning of the value chains.

Features of MOVCDNER

Latest News about the scheme

Recently, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has made significant strides in promoting organic farming by developing organic farming packages for 68 cropping systems for 16 states. Additionally, 104 crop varieties suitable for organic farming are identified.

ICAR has developed 64 prototype Integrated Farming System (IFS) models for 26 states/union territories. These models have the potential to increase farmers’ incomes by 3-5 times, providing a significant uplift to the farmers in these regions.

Under this scheme, 379 farmer-producer companies have been formed with 189,039 farmers covering an area of 1,72,966 hectares. This scheme has helped to promote organic farming and value addition, thereby improving the livelihoods of farmers and creating a market for organic produce.

 Benefits of MOVCDNER

• Provides support for organic farming and value addition to improve the livelihoods of farmers
• Creates a market for organic produce and encourages the production of high-value crops
• Promotes sustainable agriculture and helps to conserve the environment
• Supports the development of farmer’s organizations and cooperatives

 Drawback of MOVCDNER

• The scheme is only applicable to farmers in the North Eastern Region of India, which may leave farmers in other regions without similar support.
• Some farmers may lack access to the necessary infrastructure, equipment or resources to successfully implement organic farming techniques and meet the certification requirements.
• The scheme’s success relies heavily on the efficient functioning of the state-specific lead agencies, which may be subject to bureaucratic delays or other issues.
• The three-year support period for organic farming may not be sufficient for some farmers to fully transition to organic farming and start generating profits.
•  In some cases, farmers may not receive the full benefits of the scheme due to corrupt practices or mismanagement at the local level.  

Documents Required

• Aadhar Card
• Land Ownership Certificate
• Bank Account Details
• Project Proposal
• Business Plan

Conclusion

The MOVCDNER scheme aims to promote organic farming and value addition in the North Eastern region of India. It provides support for farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and create a market for organic produce. By promoting organic farming, the scheme helps to improve the livelihoods of farmers and conserve the environment.