Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

• The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture or MIDH is a scheme for the holistic growth and development of the Indian horticulture sector.
• MIDH is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by the Agriculture Ministry from 2014-15 under Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana.
• This Centrally Sponsored scheme covers vegetables, fruits, roots and tuber crops, aromatic plants, flowers, spices, bamboo, coconut, cashew and cocoa.
• MIDH also provides technical support and advice to state horticultural missions, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Saffron Mission and the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
• The strategies to improve the horticulture segment employed by the scheme include technology promotion, research, post-harvest management, extension, processing and marketing. The scheme emphasises using differentiated strategies for different states based on the region’s agro-climatic features.

MIDH Objectives:

• The scheme envisages the aggregation of farmers into farmers’ groups like FIGs/FPOs and FPCs to:
  • Achieve economies of scale
  • Augment horticulture production
  • Enhance farmers’ incomes
  • Boost nutritional security
  • Improve productivity by way of quality germ-plasm, planting material and water use efficiency through micro-irrigation
  • Support skill development
  • Generate employment for rural youth in horticulture, post-harvest management and also in the cold chain sector.
• The scheme also envisages the capacity building of farmers in adopting improved technology through existing institutions such as Krishi Vigyan Kendras, state agriculture universities and Institutes with the Department of Horticulture in the States.

MIDH Sub-Schemes

The Mission includes the following sub-schemes:

1. National Horticulture Mission (NHM): It is implemented by the State Horticulture Missions and is aimed at increasing production in the horticulture sector. Know more about the National Horticulture Mission and the Golden Revolution in the link.
2. National Horticulture Board (NHB): It implements the various schemes under the MIDH at the state and UT levels.
3. Horticulture Mission for North East & Himalayan States (HMNEH): It is implemented by the State Horticulture Missions of the Northeastern and Himalayan states.
4. Coconut Development Board (CDB): It implements the schemes of the MIDH in all the coconut-growing states in the country.
5. Central Institute for Horticulture (CIH), Nagaland: The institute was established in Medizipehima, Nagaland in 2006-07 for providing technical backstopping through capacity building and training of farmers and Field functionaries in the North Eastern Region.
6. National Bamboo Mission (NBM): National Bamboo Mission is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme started in the year 2006-07 which was later subsumed under the MIDH, for the years 2014-15 and 2015-16.

MIDH Activities

• Some of the activities for which financial support is provided under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture are as under:
  • Establishing nurseries, tissue culture units for producing quality seeds & planting material.
  • Area expansion i.e. setting up new orchards and gardens for flowers, vegetables, and flowers; and also the rejuvenation of unproductive and old orchards.
  • Protected cultivation, i.e. poly-house, green-house, etc. to better the productivity & grow off-season high-value vegetables & flowers.
  • Organic farming and certification.
  • Creation of water resources structures and watershed management.
  • Bee-keeping for pollination.
  • Horticulture mechanisation.
  • Creation of post-harvest management & marketing infrastructure.

MIDH Funding

• Under MIDH, Government of India (GoI) contributes 60% of total outlay for developmental programmes in all the states except states in North East and Himalayas, 40% share is contributed by State Governments.
  • In the case of North Eastern States and Himalayan States, GoI contributes 90%.
• In case of National Horticulture Board (NHB), Coconut Development Board (CDB), Central Institute for Horticulture (CIH), Nagaland and the National Level Agencies (NLA), GOI contributes 100%.
• Further, the scheme also provides for technical and administrative support to State Governments/ State Horticulture Missions(SHMs). It also provides technical and administrative support for the Saffron Mission and other horticulture-related activities.

Achievements of MIDH

• During the year 2019-20, the country recorded its highest ever horticulture production of 320.77 million tonnes.
• MIDH has played a significant role in increasing the area under horticulture crops.
  • Area and production during the years 2014-15 to 2019-20 has increased by 9% and 14% respectively.
• It has contributed significantly towards improving the quality of produce and productivity of farmland.
• The initiative of MIDH has not only resulted in India’s self-sufficiency in the horticulture sector but also contributed towards achieving sustainable development goals of zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, no poverty, gender equality etc.
• However, the sector is still facing a lot of challenges. Such as,
  • High post-harvest loss
  • Gaps in post-harvest management
  • Supply chain infrastructure.