Promoting Organic Farming in Northeast India through the Technology Mission

Northeast India is one of the most naturally organic regions in the country. With minimal use of synthetic chemicals, abundant rainfall, fertile soils, and diverse agro-climatic zones, the eight northeastern states hold enormous potential for organic horticulture. Recognizing this, the Government of India has rolled out targeted support through the Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH) – a key component under the broader Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). This mission, along with complementary schemes, provides financial incentives, infrastructure support, and market linkages specifically designed for organic farming in the region. Here’s a detailed look at how these supports work and why they matter for farmers in the Northeast.

What is the Technology Mission for horticulture in Northeast India? 🔗

The Technology Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture in North Eastern States was established to address the unique challenges and opportunities in the region’s horticulture sector. Over the years, it evolved into the Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH), which now operates as a sub-scheme under MIDH. MIDH itself is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, covering fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, mushrooms, root and tuber crops, coconut, cashew, cocoa, and bamboo.

What makes this mission special for the Northeast is the funding pattern. While most Indian states receive central government funding at a 60:40 ratio (centre to state), northeastern and Himalayan states receive support at a much more favourable 90:10 ratio. In some components, the central government covers 100% of the cost. This significantly reduces the financial burden on state governments and, ultimately, on farmers themselves.

The mission focuses on an end-to-end approach – covering everything from quality planting material production and area expansion to post-harvest management, processing, and marketing. Within this broad framework, organic farming has been identified as a key priority area.

Why organic farming gets special attention in the Northeast 🔗

The Northeast is often described as a traditionally organic region. Most farming here is rain-fed, and chemical fertiliser and pesticide usage has historically been far lower than in states like Punjab, Haryana, or Uttar Pradesh. The region’s hilly terrain, rich biodiversity, and indigenous farming knowledge make it a natural fit for certified organic production.

But there’s a gap. While farming practices in the Northeast are often de facto organic, most farmers lack formal certification, market access, and the infrastructure needed to convert their produce into a premium-priced organic product. This is exactly where government schemes step in – bridging the gap between traditional practice and commercial organic farming.

Schemes like MOVCDNER (Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region) and the organic farming components under HMNEH specifically target this transition. Together, they provide the financial, technical, and institutional support that farmers need.

Financial incentives for adopting organic practices 🔗

One of the biggest barriers to organic farming is the cost of transition. Farmers need to change their inputs, learn new techniques, and often face a dip in yield during the initial years. The government addresses this through direct financial assistance.

Support under MOVCDNER 🔗

Under the MOVCDNER scheme, farmers in the eight northeastern states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura – receive financial assistance of Rs. 46,500 per hectare over three years. Out of this, Rs. 32,500 per hectare goes directly to farmers for purchasing on-farm and off-farm organic inputs, including Rs. 15,000 transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). This money helps farmers buy organic seeds, bio-fertilisers, bio-pesticides, and other inputs needed for chemical-free farming.

Additionally, Rs. 10,000 per hectare over three years is allocated for training, capacity building, and certification. This ensures that farmers don’t just receive money – they also get the knowledge and skills to farm organically in a sustainable way.

Support under HMNEH/MIDH 🔗

Under the horticulture mission, organic farming is promoted through subsidies on organic inputs and adoption of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) practices. Assistance of up to 50% of the cost, subject to a maximum of 4 hectares per beneficiary, is available for farmers adopting organic cultivation in horticulture. This includes support for bio-control agents, bio-fertilisers, and organic manure.

Setting up vermicompost units 🔗

Vermicomposting is a cornerstone of organic farming. It converts agricultural and household waste into nutrient-rich compost using earthworms, which improves soil fertility without any chemical additives. The government recognises this and provides dedicated financial support for setting up vermicompost units.

Under MIDH, financial assistance of up to 50% of the cost is available for establishing vermicompost units, subject to a maximum of Rs. 50,000 per beneficiary for a standard unit measuring 30′ × 8′ × 2.5′. For northeastern states, the subsidy rates are often higher due to the preferential funding pattern.

Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) can also set up larger-scale vermicompost production facilities. NABARD offers additional support through its Capital Investment Subsidy Scheme, providing up to 33% back-ended subsidy for commercial organic input production units. This creates a dual benefit – farmers get access to affordable organic inputs, and rural entrepreneurs find a viable business opportunity in vermicompost production.

Organic certification support 🔗

Certification is what turns an organic farm into a commercially viable organic brand. Without certification, farmers cannot command premium prices in domestic or international markets. The government supports two types of certification systems relevant to organic farming in the Northeast.

Third-party certification under NPOP 🔗

The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), operated under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is the certification pathway for export markets. Under this system, accredited certification agencies authorised by APEDA verify organic production practices at every stage – from cultivation and processing to handling and export. The costs of this certification can be significant for smallholders, so government schemes provide financial assistance to cover part of these expenses.

Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India) 🔗

For the domestic market, the PGS-India certification is a more accessible option. In this system, farmers within a group collectively assess, inspect, and verify each other’s organic practices before declaring their produce as organic. It is less expensive and more community-driven than third-party certification, making it particularly suitable for small and marginal farmers in the Northeast.

Under MOVCDNER, the certification costs are built into the overall financial package. Service-providing agencies are hired to manage the Internal Control System (ICS) – the documentation and inspection framework needed for group certification. Importantly, ICS personnel are often recruited from among the participating farmers themselves, so that the system remains self-sustaining even after external agencies depart.

Building farmer organisations and market linkages 🔗

A single farmer growing organic turmeric in Nagaland has limited bargaining power. But when 500 such farmers form a Farmer Producer Company (FPC), they can collectively negotiate better prices, access processing facilities, and sell under a unified brand. This is a core principle behind the government’s approach in the Northeast.

Under MOVCDNER, the formation of FPOs and FPCs is actively supported. As of mid-2024, the scheme had facilitated the creation of approximately 379 FPOs across the region and covered about 1.79 lakh hectares under certified organic production. Phase IV of the scheme, which came into effect from April 2024, aims to cover an additional 50,000 hectares.

Financial assistance of Rs. 25 lakh per FPO (for groups of 500 farmers) over three years is provided for marketing activities. This includes branding, packaging, participation in trade fairs, and building linkages with buyers. The government has also created the Jaivik Kheti portal (jaivikkheti.in) as an online marketplace where organic farmers can directly sell their produce to consumers, cutting out middlemen and improving price realisation.

Infrastructure for collection, processing, and marketing 🔗

Organic produce is perishable, and poor post-harvest infrastructure is one of the biggest reasons for losses and low prices in the Northeast. The horticulture mission addresses this by supporting the creation of collection centres, grading units, cold storage facilities, and processing plants.

Under HMNEH, higher rates of subsidy are specifically allocated for creating post-harvest management and marketing infrastructure in northeastern states compared to the rest of the country. This includes pack houses, ripening chambers, cold chains, and primary processing centres. The idea is to ensure that organic produce from remote villages in Meghalaya or Mizoram reaches consumers in Delhi or Kolkata without losing freshness or quality.

The NE Organic Bazaar concept under MOVCDNER is another notable initiative. These are physical market spaces created and operated by FPOs registered under the scheme, functioning as collection centres between the farm gate and processing infrastructure. They help aggregate produce from scattered small farms and make logistics more efficient.

Capacity building and training 🔗

Technology and money alone cannot drive organic farming. Farmers need hands-on training in organic cultivation techniques, composting methods, pest management without chemicals, and soil health management. The missions invest heavily in capacity building.

The Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH), established at Medziphema in Nagaland, serves as a technical support hub for the entire northeastern region. It conducts training programmes for farmers and field-level officials, provides demonstrations of improved horticulture practices, and acts as a source of quality planting material. Front-line demonstrations and on-field trials help farmers see the benefits of organic methods before committing to the transition.

Under MOVCDNER, resource agencies are also engaged to assist with FPO formation, training, ICS management, and documentation. States like Nagaland have organised farmer exposure visits to events such as the IFOAM Organic World Congress, where northeastern farmers can interact with organic buyers and sellers from across India and the world.

Tailoring support to the region’s agro-climatic conditions 🔗

Northeast India is not a monolithic region. It spans diverse agro-climatic zones – from the low-lying floodplains of Assam’s Brahmaputra valley to the highland plateaus of Meghalaya and the subtropical forests of Mizoram. The mission’s approach is regionally differentiated, meaning that the crops, practices, and infrastructure supported vary based on local conditions.

For example, under MOVCDNER in Nagaland, clusters have been developed for organic pineapple in Dimapur/Peren, organic large cardamom in Phek, and organic ginger in Tuensang. In Assam, clusters focus on crops suited to the state’s lowland and mid-altitude areas. Sikkim – which declared itself India’s first fully organic state in 2016 – has leveraged these schemes extensively to maintain and expand its organic footprint.

Crops like turmeric, ginger, large cardamom, king chilli (bhut jolokia), passion fruit, kiwi, and various spices and medicinal plants are well suited to organic cultivation in the Northeast and have strong demand in both domestic and international markets.

Challenges and the road ahead 🔗

Despite the robust support framework, organic farming in the Northeast faces real challenges. Remoteness and poor road connectivity make it difficult to transport perishable produce to distant markets. Many farmers are unaware of the full range of benefits available to them. Certification processes, though subsidised, can still be cumbersome for small and scattered farming communities. And post-harvest losses remain high due to gaps in cold chain infrastructure.

The government has taken steps to address these issues – the push for FPO formation, the Jaivik Kheti online portal, and the emphasis on building local processing and marketing infrastructure are all positive moves. Phase IV of MOVCDNER and the continued implementation of HMNEH signal sustained commitment to organic farming in the region.

For Northeast India, organic farming is not a new concept – it is a way of life. What these government missions aim to do is convert this traditional strength into an economic advantage, ensuring that farmers earn better incomes while the region supplies high-quality, certified organic produce to India and the world.

What do you think? Can the Northeast truly become India’s organic farming powerhouse, or do infrastructure and market access challenges need to be solved first? How can farmer producer organisations play a bigger role in scaling organic production in remote hilly regions?

References

1. https://tmnehs.gov.in/
2. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=152048&ModuleId=3
3. https://dirhorti.assam.gov.in/schemes/mission-organic-value-chain-development-in-assam-movcda
4. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2100761
5. https://www.nabard.org/auth/writereaddata/tender/0303200950Business%20Model%20on%20Vermicompost%20Units%20at%20FPO%20level.pdf
6. https://apeda.gov.in/
7. https://hortidept.nagaland.gov.in/mission-organic-value-chain-development-for-north-east-region-movcd-ner/