Farmers’ Perceptions on Implementation of National Food Security Mission for Pulse Crops in Maharashtra

The study attempts to assess the farmers' perceptions regarding the impact of NFSM-pulses on rainfed agriculture in Maharashtra since pulse crops are mainly cultivated under unirrigated condition in the State. The impact assessment is done with respect to awareness of the farmers regarding NFSM programme for pulses crops, assistance received and the type of assistance, usefulness of the assistance, area allocation under pulse crops before and after NFSM programme, production of pulses crops before and after NFSM programme, increase in area under pulses after NFSM programme, extent of increase in area under pulse crops, and their major suggestions for improving NFSM-Pulses programme. Although NFSM programme has been initiated in India a few years ago, the farmers were quite aware of the programme. The type of assistance received under NFSM-pulses programme included improved varieties of seeds like breeder/foundation/certified seeds, assistance on Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) - micronutrients/line/gypsum, etc., assistance on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - micronutrients/line/gypsum IPM, provision of equipment like seed drills, pumpsets, sprinklers, conoweeder, Knapp-sack sprayers, participation of farmers in various training programmes, and reasonably assured market for the pulses produce. As a result, not only the area under pulse crops increased but there was substantial increase in production as well as productivity of pulses crops in the study area