National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) is a continuing central sector scheme since 10th Five Year Plan. Planning Commission approved the scheme as PILOT project for the remaining two and half years of 10th plan period with effect from 01.10.2004 with an outlay of Rs. 57.04 crore. The scheme is continuing in the 12th Plan.

2020-21 Budget Estimates 12.5 crore for National Project on Organic Farming

Objectives

Promotion of organic farming in the country through technical capacity building of all the stakeholders including human resource development, transfer of technology, promotion and production of quality organic and biological inputs.
To act as nodal quality control laboratory for analysis of biofertilizers and organic fertilizers as per the requirement of Fertilizer Control Order, 1985 (FCO).
Revision of standards and testing protocols keeping in view the advances in research and technology and bringing remaining organic inputs under quality control regime.
To maintain National and Regional culture collection bank of biofertilizer, biocontrol, organisms for supply to production units, development & procurement and efficacy evaluation of biofertilizer strains and mother cultures.
Organic input resource management, technology development through support to research and market development.
Promotion of Organic Farming through low cost certification system known as “Participatory Guarantee System” (PGS-India).
To provides financial assistance through NABARD under Capital Investment Subsidy Scheme (CISS) for Fruit and Vegetable Market Waste/Agro-waste compost units, Bio-fertilizers/Bio-pesticides Production unit
Awareness creation and publicity through print and electronic media.

Specific activities of NCOF

To collaborate all stakeholders of organic farming in the country and abroad and act as main information centre on various aspects of organic farming.
Documentation of indigenous knowledge and practices, compilation of integrated organic packages and publication of technical literature in all the languages.
Preparation and publication of uniform and authentic training literature and training course contents.
Publication of Biofertilizers and Organic Farming Newsletters for national and international updates on quarterly and half yearly basis.
To provide necessary technical assistance to production units for quality production of various organic inputs such as biofertilizers, composts etc.
To serve as data collection centre for biofertilizers and organic fertilizer production, biofertilizer and organic fertilizers production units and their production capacities and for details on total area under certification and various crops being grown under organic management.
To maintain National and Regional culture collection bank of biofertilizer organisms for supply to production units.
Development, procurement and efficacy evaluation of biofertilizer strains and mother cultures.
To act as nodal quality control laboratory for analysis of biofertilizers and organic fertilizers as per the requirement of Fertilizer Control Order.
To provide all sorts of technical assistance to implementing agencies for successful implementation of project targets