(a) whether the Government has taken any step to establish a National Institute of Organic Farm (NIOF);
(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the roles and objectives of NIOF;
(c) whether the Government has got any proposal/offer from Government of Kerala to make available adequate land in Kerala for the NIOF; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and alongwith the response of the Government in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY
OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI KANTILAL BHUR1A):
(a) and (b) In order to promote organic farming in the country, the Government has
launched a new Scheme `National Project on Organic Farming during 10th Five Year Plan as
pilot project. Under this project, the National Bio-fertilizer Development Centre (NBDC),
Ghaziabad and its six Regional Centres (RBDCs) at Hissar, Jabalpur, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar,
Bangalore and Imphal have been renamed as National Centre of organic Farming (NCOF) and
Regional Centres of Organic Farming (RCOFs). The main objectives of NCOF are:
(i) To facilitate, encourage and promote development of Organic Agriculture in the country.
(ii) To prepare inventory or organic resources available for recycling in agriculture
in different agro-climate regions.
(iii) To encourage production of organic sources of nutrients like Bio-fertilizers,
organic manures, compost etc. and bio-pesticides, bio-control agents etc. as certified
inputs for organic farming.
(iv) To act as nodal agency for formulation of standards and mechanism of accreditation,
inspection, regulation, quality control and monitoring.
(v) To initiate and encourage research for promotion of organic agriculture practices and
the dissemination of know-how through extension.
(c) and (d) The Government of Kerala offered to make available 200 hectares of land
available with the Kerala Agricultural University at Thiruvizhamkunnu in Palakkad District
for setting up of NIOF. However, it has been decided that NDBC Ghaziabad and its six Regional
Centres will be converted into NCOF and RCOFs. Therefore, it has not been possible to
consider the request of Government of Kerala for setting up of NIOF in Kerala State.