Horticulture Mission for North East & Himalayan States (HMNEH)
The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of HMNEH is being implemented in the State since 2003-04 for the holistic development of horticulture sector duly ensuring forward and backward linkages by adopting cluster approach, covering production, post- harvest management, processing and marketing with the active participation of all the stake-holders.
Before 2014-15 the mission was being implemented through four Mini Missions i.e. Mini Mission-I (Research), Mini Mission-II (Production & Productivity Improvement), Mini Mission-III (Post Harvest Management & Marketing) and Mini Mission-IV (Processing & Value addition).
During 2014-15 with a view to promote holistic development of horticulture sector in the country, Department of Agriculture and Corporation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India has approved a Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) by subsuming ongoing schemes of National Horticulture Mission (NHM), Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH), National Bamboo Mission (NBM), National Horticulture Board (NHB), Coconut Development Board (CDB) and Central Institute for Horticulture (CIH), Nagaland. HMNEH continue to be implemented in the State of Uttarakhand with revised cost norms and pattern of assistance during remaining period of 12th five year plan. All the four Mini Mission of HMNEH now have been clubbed in the scheme.
Mission Objective:
Promote holistic growth of horticulture sector, including bamboo and coconut through area based regionally differentiated strategies, which includes research, technology promotion, extension, post harvest management, processing and marketing, in consonance with comparative advantage of each State/region and its diverse agro-climatic features;
Encourage aggregation of farmers into farmer groups like FIGs/FPOs and FPCs to bring economy of scale and scope.
Enhance horticulture production, augment farmers, income and strengthen nutritional security;
Improve productivity by way of quality germplasm, planting material and water use efficiency through Micro Irrigation.
Support skill development and create employment generation opportunities for rural youth in horticulture and post harvest management, especially in the cold chain sector.
Mission Strategy: To achieve above objectives, the mission will adopt the following strategies:
Adopt an end-to-end holistic approach covering pre-production, production, post harvest management, processing and marketing to assure appropriate returns to growers/producers;
Promote R&D technologies for cultivation, production, post-harvest management and processing with special focus on cold chain infrastructure for extending the shelf life of perishables;
Improve productivity by way of quality through:
i. Diversification, from traditional crops to plantations, orchards, vineyards, flowers, vegetable gardens and bamboo plantations.
ii. Extension of appropriate technology to farmers for high-tech horticulture including protected cultivation and precision farming.
iii. Increase of acreage of orchards and plantation crops including bamboo and coconut, particularly in states where total area under horticulture is less than 50% of agricultural area.
Improve post harvest management, processing for value addition and marketing infrastructure.
Adopt a coordinated approach and promote partnership, convergence and synergy among R&D, processing and marketing agencies in public as well as private sectors, at the national, regional, state and sub-state levels;
Promote FPOs and their tie up with Market Aggregators (MAs) and Financial Institutions (FIs) to support and adequate returns to farmers.
Support capacity-building and Human Resource Development at all levels, including, change in syllabus and curriculum of graduation courses at Colleges, Universities, ITIs, Polytechnics, as appropriate.
Mission Structure:
State Level Executive Committee
To oversee the implementation of HMNEH in the State Level Executive Committee(s) (SLEC) under Chairmanship of Agricultural Production Commissioner or Principal Secretary Horticulture/Agriculture/Environment & Forests, (in the absence of APC) having representatives from other concerned Departments of State Government including Forests, the State Agricultural Universities (SAU), Institutes under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Growers’ Associations/FPOs, etc will be set up. Central Government will nominate its representative to the SLEC. State Mission Director, HMNEH will be Member Secretary of the SLEC. At operational level, State Governments will have freedom to establish State Horticulture Mission (SHM) as a suitable autonomous agency, to be registered under Societies Registration Act for implementing Mission programmes at State and District levels. Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) existing in the State will be involved in the implementation of the programme.