Q. Which one of the following best describes the main objective of Seed Village Concept?

• Encouraging the farmers to use their own farm seeds and discouraging them to buy the seeds from others
• Involving the farmers for training in quality seed production and thereby to make available quality seeds to others at appropriate time and affordable cost
• Earmarking some villages exclusively for the production of certified seeds
• Identifying the entrepreneurs in villages and providing them technology and finance to set up seed companies

Answer: (b) Involving the farmers for training in quality seed production and thereby to make available quality seeds to others at appropriate time and affordable cost

Beej Gram Yojana (Seed Village Program):

• The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing Beej Gram Yojana (Seed Village Programme) since 2014-15 to upgrade the quality of farmer’s saved seeds.
• Key Objective: To upgrade the quality of farmer-saved seed, which is about 80-85% of the total seed used for crop production. Key Objectives of the Seed Village Program are-
  • Increasing the seed production,
  • Increasing the seed replacement rate,
  • Organizing seed production in cluster/compact areas, replacing existing local varieties with new high yielding varieties,
  • Self-sufficiency and self-reliance of the village in terms of quality seed production
  • To meet the local demand and timely supply of quality seeds.
• Financial assistance for distribution of foundation/certified seeds is available for up to one acre per farmer, These seeds are distributed at
  • a) 50% of seed cost for cereal crops and
  • b) 60% for pulses, oilseeds, fodder and green manure crops.
• The assistance will also be given to train the farmers on seed production and seed technology @ Rs. 15000/- for a group of 50-150 farmers.
• To the encourage farmers to develop storage capacity of appropriate quality,
  • Assistance @ 33% subject to a maximum of Rs. 3000/- for SC/ST farmers and @ 25% subject to maximum of Rs. 2000/- for other farmers for procuring seeds storage bin of 20 qtl. capacity
  • Assistance @ 33% subject to maximum of Rs. 1500/- to SC/ST farmers and @ 25% subject to maximum of Rs. 1000/- for other farmers for making seeds storage bin of 10 qtl. capacity in the seed villages where seed village scheme is being implemented.
• Implementing agencies:
  • State Departments of Agriculture, State Agriculture Universities, KVKs, State Seeds Corporation, National Seeds Corporation, State Farms Corporation of India, State Seeds Certification Agencies, Dept. of Seed Certification.
  • One implementing agency will be identified for the area/locality and is to be authorized by the State Government.
• Monitoring of theBeej Gram Yojana:
  • The Seed Village Program will be monitored by the Seeds Division of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation.
    • The implementing agencies will be required to send quarterly progress to the Seeds Division of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation.
• Benefits offered:
  • Seed is available at the doorsteps of farms at an appropriate time.
  • Seeds are available at affordable costs even lesser than the market price.
  • It has increased the confidence among the farmers about the quality because of known sources of production.
  • It facilitates the fast spread of new cultivars of different kinds.