National Agriculture Code (NAC)

What is the National Agriculture Code (NAC)?

• It will cover the entire agriculture cycle, and will also contain a guidance note for future standardisation.
• The code will have 2 parts:

1. 1. It will contain general principles for all crops
   2. It will deal with crop-specific standards for the likes of paddy, wheat, oilseeds, and pulses.

• It will serve as a guide for farmers, agriculture universities, and officials involved in the field.
• Objectives:
  • Develop a national code that offers recommendations for agricultural practices, considering agroclimatic zones, crop types, socio-economic diversity, and all elements of the agri-food value chain.
  • Promote a quality culture in Indian agriculture by providing a reference for policymakers, agricultural departments, and regulators to incorporate NAC provisions in schemes, policies, and regulations.
  • Provide farmers with a comprehensive guide for informed decision-making in agricultural practices.
  • Integrate relevant Indian Standards with recommended agricultural practices.
  • Address broader agricultural concerns such as SMART farming, sustainability, traceability, and documentation.
  • Support capacity-building programs organised by agricultural extension services and civil society organisations.

Need For NAC

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national body responsible for setting standards across various economic sectors.
• In the field of agriculture, it has already established standards for machinery such as tractors and harvesters, as well as inputs like fertilizers and pesticides.
• However, there are still many areas not covered by the BIS standards.
  • Example: There is no standard for agriculture practices like preparation of fields, micro irrigation and water use.

What will the NAC cover?

• All agriculture processes and post-harvest operations: Crop selection, land preparation, sowing/transplanting, irrigation/drainage, soil health management, plant health management, harvesting/threshing, primary processing, post-harvest, sustainability, and record maintenance.
• Standards for input management, like use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and weedicides, as well as standards for crop storage and traceability.
• All new and emerging areas like natural farming and organic farming, as well as the use of Internet-of-Things (IoT) in the field of agriculture.

Standardised Agriculture Demonstration Farms (SADF)

• The BIS is also setting up SADFs at selected agricultural institutes to experiment with and implement agricultural practices and technologies according to Indian Standards.
• These farms will be used for training officials involved in agricultural extension, farmers, and industry representatives.
• The BIS plans to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with premier agricultural institutes for the development of SADFs.
• Ten institutes have been identified, and two MoUs have already been signed, including one with Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT) in Pantnagar.
• BIS will provide financial assistance for the setup of these farms, following China’s successful implementation of such initiatives.

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