Policy Update
Ilma Ahmad Samir
INTRODUCTION
Scientists pay attention to problems that interest them. Big populations, fewer resources, and weather changes are some big issues for the world. Scientists want to handle these issues and find real answers, but they need to work with the community to find the best solutions. Giving everyone enough safe food is a tough job. The amount and quality of the country’s farming production have gone down over time.
What causes problems with productivity?
- Water – the main problems are drought, floods, availability, and low quality.
- Soil – inadequate soil health, abiotic and biotic stress brought on by climate change, and a lack of knowledge and awareness regarding the use of contemporary technologies in agriculture,
- Seed – the inability to provide small and marginal farmers with reasonably priced, high-quality planting materials,
- Market – the collapse of the extension system allowing farmers to learn new technologies, as well as the underutilization of bioresources at the farm or village level for appropriate nutrient management, processing, packing, and marketing.
There is a need for direct communication between scientific labs and agricultural areas; it is now crucial that Indian scientists identify local farmers’ issues and offer solutions. Similarly, farmers must be introduced to the scientific atmosphere and laboratory in order to learn about the scientific answers that are available. Innovative technologies and solutions can be developed and implemented at the farm level thanks to this close collaboration and need-based research.
BACKGROUND
India’s agriculture sector has long been the backbone of the country’s economy which is employing more than half of the workforce and contributing significantly to GDP. Low productivity, dispersed landholdings, poor infrastructure, restricted access to contemporary technologies, and climate variations are among the industry’s enduring problems. To bring innovation to agriculture, the Indian government launched a number of programs to close the gap between scientific research and farmers’ field-level activities. One such remarkable program is the Biotech-Krishi Innovation Science Application Network (Biotech-KISAN) program, which was introduced in 2017 by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
The Biotech-KISAN program was designed to be a farmer-centered, lab-to-land initiative that connects farmers, scientists, and research institutions to advance biotechnology-based solutions for increased agricultural productivity, climate resilience, and better livelihood outcomes. By introducing location-specific, low-cost, and need-based innovations in areas like seed quality, pest management, soil health, and sustainable farming practices, the program aims to empower small and marginal farmers, especially in designated agro-climatic zones.
Biotech-KISAN is distinctive because of its cluster-based model, which establishes Krishi Innovation Science Application Network Hubs (KISAN Hubs) in each of India’s 15 agro-climatic zones. In order to guarantee that the solutions are both contextually appropriate and scientifically sound, these hubs act as a point of coordination between farmers and scientific experts (research institutions). In order to foster a more inclusive approach to agricultural transformation, the program places a special emphasis on the involvement of female farmers.
The growing need to incorporate biotechnological advancements, such as microbial technologies, biofertilizers, biopesticides, and improved crop varieties into everyday farming also served as inspiration for the plan. Biotech-KISAN aims to boost the rural bio-economy and help achieve national objectives like doubling farmers’ income and guaranteeing food and nutritional security by transferring biotechnology from lab benches to the soil beds of Indian fields.
OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHEME
- To link science and technology to the farm to understand the issues faced by small and marginal farmers and offer solutions to them.
- To work together in close conjunction of scientists and farmers to the conditions of small and marginal farmers.
- To enhance agricultural productivity nationwide by implementing innovative best farming practices and scientific interventions.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA TO AVAIL THE SCHEME
- Any individual working in a public or private institution, university, foundation or a society who has a good track record of leading the projects in the area related to farming.
- The person must have knowledge about the problems of farmers in partnership with 5-8 research institutions.
- Any institution which posses the necessary infrastructure facilities and is committed to undertaking the program under farmer-oriented are eligible.
FUNCTIONING OF THE BIOTECH KISAN SCHEME
The scheme functions as a farmer-centric, decentralised and collaborative policy instrument which seeks to link scientific enterprise with grassroot agricultural challenges. The functioning of the scheme rests on the following interconnected pillars:
- Hub-and-Spoke Model: Structural Framework:
The most essential part of the scheme is the hub and spokes model which allows region-specific innovation dissemination:
- Hubs are established in each of the 15 agro-climatic regions of India. These hubs are hosted by leading institutions such as:
- State Agricultural Universities (SAUs)
- ICAR Institutes
- Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)
- National Institute under Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
Each hub is responsible for:
- Identifying region specific agricultural problems
- Designing and Deploying biotechnology-based interventions
- Conducting training and demonstration
- Monitoring project outcomes
The spokes consist of the local institutes, NGOs, farmer producer organisations (FPOs) panchayats, and community groups that mobilize farmers at the grassroot level, ensure last-mile delivery interventions and collect feedback and relay it to the hub.
- Farmer-Scientist Interface
The scheme creates a two way knowledge exchange mechanism. Scientists are encouraged to engage with real-time farmer challenges through direct field exposure whereas the Farmers are introduced to low cost, practical bio-tech solutions to improve productivity.
Activities under this interface include:
- Regular field visits and participatory rural appraisals by scientists.
- On-farm demonstration of technologies including biofertilizers, biopesticides, plant growth promoters, etc.,
- Lab immersion visits for farmers where they interact with researchers and witness biotech applications firsthand.
- Technological Developments and Customizations
The core strength of the scheme lies in promoting contextualized innovations. Technologies are selected, adapted, or newly developed based on local crop patterns and agro-ecological conditions.
- Water availability, soil health and pest pressures.
- Climate resilience needs
- Socio-economic capacity of marginal and small farmers
- Capacity building and Skill development
The scheme of Biotech KISAN emphasis knowledge empowerment and skill enhancement through
- Training workshops for farmers, especially women
- Promotion of rural biotechnology-based enterprises
- Mahila Biotech KISAN Fellowship
- Inclusion of rural youth and para-extension workers in biotech skill development.
The scheme actively works to convert farmers into bio-entrepreneurs, promoting value-added agriculture.
- Monitoring, Feedback and Evaluation
In order to establish a scheme that remains dynamic and demand-driven it is necessary to ensure it as a robust monitoring and evaluation system. Key mechanism include:
- Real time data collection and feedback loops
- Outcome-based assessments of technological adoption and impact
- Periodic reviews by Department of Biotechnology
- Integration with broader government programs like Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Soil Health Card Scheme, AtmaNirbhar Bharat agricultural reforms.
PERFORMANCE OF THE SCHEME
Source : PIB
Since its launch in 2017, the Biotech KISAN scheme has established itself as a key government initiative linking biotechnological research and field-level agricultural practices. As discussed above, the scheme has developed a hub-and-spoke structure to facilitate decentralised implementation across India.
- Institutional Framework and its Reach
- There are currently 52 Biotech-KISAN Hubs spread across 15 agroclimatic zones in India.
- With the help of 169 satellite centers, operations are carried out in more than 115 aspirational districts.
- Through outreach and training initiatives, over 300,000 farmers have been directly involved.
- These hubs are situated in SAUs, ICAR institutions, KVKs, ets., which serve as a focal point for developing and delivering bio-tech based agricultural solutions which are suitable to local agro-ecological conditions. The satellite centres (spokes) assist with farmer mobilization, training and field-level dissemination of practices.
- Field Demonstration and Technology transfer
In multiple states, more than 8,000 on-farm demonstrations have been conducted which provide hands-on exposure to the farmers in using biotechnology tools.
Some of the technologies promoted through the tools are:
- Bio-inputs: biofertilizers, biopesticides and microbial consortia
- Post harvest technologies: grain moisture meters, improved threshing methods, tarpaulin for clean drying
- Crop specific solutions: such as biostimulants (e.g.: Pepto, Ambition) in cumin field (Rajasthan)
- Advisory tools: pesticides use advisories based on PHI (Pre Harvest Interval)
These demonstrations are adapted to suit the crop profile, soil health, climate, and needs of the farmers in the area.
- Financial Support and Investment
- As per the studies conducted so far, over Rs.310 crore has been invested in agricultural biotechnology initiatives, including Biotech KISAN, over the last 3 years.
- It has received Rs.5 lakh annually from collaborating partner institutions for farmer training, outreach, and support activities.
- Each Biotech KISAN hub receives approximately Rs.60 lakh per year.
- Promotion of Rural Enterprises
The enterprises are often promoted in collaboration with the local stakeholders and align with region-specific value chains, encouraging self-reliance in agricultural innovation. Coming to the straight up facts:
- More than 200 rural biotech based enterprises have been incubated under the scheme.
- These ventures include production units for bio-inputs, decentralised seed systems, pro-harvest biotech services, and agri-processing support.
The Biotech KISAN scheme has emerged as a pivotal rural technology transfer initiative which has enabled scientifically validated, low cost solutions to empower small and marginal farmers. Its model of participatory implementation, regional customization and consistent feedback mechanisms has laid the foundation for scaling agricultural biotech innovations in India’s diverse rural landscape.
IMPACT ANALYSIS OF THE KISAN SCHEME
The scheme has gone beyond just a policy framework, it’s becoming a science and farming across rural India. The scheme has reached out to more than 3 lakh farmers since it was launched in 2017, many of whom had limited access to scientific support before. The scheme has brought tailored biotech solutions to farmer’s fields by focusing on grassroot-level problems such as poor soil health, decline in productivity, or lack of access to quality inputs. In about a year i.e, January – December 2022, over 1.6 lakh farmers received direct support under the scheme. These interventions included practical guidance on using biofertilizers, plant growth promoting microbes, protected cultivation techniques, and even livestock and fisheries improvements.
Rural entrepreneurship has had another significant impact. The scheme has supported creation of more than 200 small biotech ventures – from seed production units and bio-inputs startups to agri-processing services. These local enterprises are not just beneficial for individual entrepreneurs, they also create value chains that support the entire community.
Through Mahila Biotech-KISAN Fellowship, the scheme has also made space for women to lead. Rural women are being trained, mentored, and empowered to become both users and promoters of biotechnological solutions. In the North-East region special efforts have been taken to ensure tribal women and marginalized groups do not remain secluded.
EMERGING ISSUES & POlICY GAPS IN THE SCHEME
There is no doubt that the KISAN scheme has made impressive strides in connecting the farmers with biotech-driven solutions, however, several structural and policy level challenges continue to hinder its full potential. Some of the challenges are addressed below:
- Regulation and Innovation
The complicated intellectual property (IP) regulations heavily burdened the Indian biotech sector. Advanced tools like CRISPR and microbial inputs are gaining ground globally, the adoption of which remains limited due to lack of accessible licensing frameworks. Public and private research institutions often face hurdles in navigating patent regimes and donating access and control over biotechnology products respectively.
Policy Gap: Lack of farmer-accessible licensing pathways or streamlined “freedom-to-operate” models for publicly funded biotech research.
- Funding Deficits and Financial Fragmentation
The scheme receives government fundings, however, it lacks structured financial pipelines for scaling up technologies beyond demonstration phases. Most hubs operate on limited fixed budgets, with minimal scope for follow-up or long term adoption support. Contribution to it, India’s broader biotech landscape suffers from limited early-stage private investment, making it hard for rural biotech enterprises to sustain operation.
Policy Gap: There is insufficient co-financing frameworks and incentive models for private or blended capital investment in rural biotech.
- Digital Divide and Awareness Limitation
Farmers in tribal and remote areas still face issues like low digital literacy, lack of internet connectivity, and limited knowledge about biotech solutions despite rollout of digital agri-initiatives like AgriStack and mobile apps. It is effecting in the transfer of knowledge which often remains dependent on physical demonstration, limited scale.
Policy Gap: Lack of universal digital infrastructure or farmer centric ICT training embedded within Biotech KISAN hubs.
- Scheme Fragmentation and Institutional Overlap:
Biotech KISAN exists alongside multiple agricultural support programs – PM – KISAN, PMFBY, RKVY, Soil Health Cards, etc,. However, there is little coordination or data integration between them. This is leading to administrative duplication, underutilization of resources, and confusion among beneficiaries.
Policy Gap: Absence of inter-ministerial cooperation or shared beneficiary database to integrate efforts across schemes.
- Exclusion of Marginalized and Landless Farmers:
Efforts have been made to reach women farmers and tribal communities (via. Mahila Biotech KISAN Fellowship), yet tenant farmers, landless labourers, and informal agricultural workers remain largely excluded. The reason for their exclusion is the eligibility criteria tied to land ownership and institutional connections.
Policy Gap: No targeted outreach or eligibility framework for non-landholders.
- Supply Chain Constraints and Local Infrastructure Gaps:
Large portion of bio-inputs and biotech tools are sourced through centralised or import-dependent supply chains. This results in raising input costs and limited access in remote regions. In addition to it, hubs often lack on-site production leading to inconsistent supply of tools or tech for farmers.
WAY FORWARD
The Biotech KISAN Scheme should focus on the following interventions to enhance its reach, effectiveness and inclusivity:
- Open-up Innovation Access
- It should focus on establishing a public biotech IP pool for easy access to government funded technologies.
- Create simplified licensing models for SAUs and KVKs.
- Promote public and private R&D collaboration with benefit-sharing.
- Enable Co-Funding & Investment
- Launch a public-private co-financing platform to attract CSR, impact funds, and startups.
- It should offer credit-linked incentives and start up grants for rural biotech enterprises.
- Start linking funds to performance and scalability. It will ensure financial sustainability and encourage rural biotech enterprenuership.
- Bridge the Digital Divide
- Set up Biotech Digital Kiosks in villages for training and access.
- Integrate with Digital India and BharatNet infrastructure.
- Train rural youths as “Biotech Champions” to guide local adoption. This will promote equitable access and tech-driven farming in remote regions.
- Ensure Scheme Convergence and Inclusion
- Integrate databases with PM-KISAN, PMFBY, and RKVY to avoid duplication.
- Develop eligibility for tenant and landless farmers.
- Focus on local bio-input production for improved availability. This will strengthen inclusion and avoid fragmentation across policies.
REFERENCES
- Department of Biotechnology. (n.d.). Biotech-KISAN. Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. https://dbtindia.gov.in/biotech-kisan
- Press Information Bureau. (2021, October 28). Biotech-KISAN empowers farmers through scientific interventions. Ministry of Science & Technology. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1767243
- Press Information Bureau. (2023, April 6). DBT provided biotech-based solutions to over 1.6 lakh farmers in 2022. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1914184
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University. (n.d.). Biotech-KISAN Hub Project. https://rpcau.ac.in/biotech-kisan-hub-project/
- Agriculture Post. (2023, April 6). Over 1.6 lakh farmers benefit from Biotech-KISAN Scheme in 2022: Dr. Jitendra Singh. https://agriculturepost.com/policy/over-160000-farmers-get-benefits-from-biotech-kisan-scheme-in-2022-dr-jitendra-singh/
- Hello Kisan. (2023). Challenges and opportunities for bio-based agriculture in India. https://hellokisan.org/epaper/detail/28
- CSPS India. (2023). Addressing challenges in digitising government schemes: A case study of PM-KISAN App. Centre for Social and Policy Studies. https://cspsindia.org/addressing-challenges-in-digitising-government-schemes-a-case-study-of-pm-kisan-app
- Read IP Wave. (2024). CRISPR and the promise of climate-resilient crops in India. https://www.readipwave.com/p/crispr-and-the-promise-of-climate-resilient-crops-in-india
About the Author
Ilma Ahmad Samir is a postgraduate in Political Science, UGC-NET qualified, and currently working as a Policy Research Intern at IMPRI, New Delhi. Her research interests include public policy, digital governance, and technology-led administrative reforms.
Acknowledgement
The author extends her sincere gratitude to the IMRPI team and Ms. Aasthaba Jadeja for their invaluable guidance throughout the process.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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