Evaluation of the National Food Security Mission's (NFSM) effect on wheat growers of Jabalpur district Madhya Pradesh

Introduction

Wheat (Triticum spp.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world and a staple food for a large portion of the global population. It belongs to the Poaceae (grass) family and is cultivated primarily for its grain, which is ground into flour and used for making bread, pasta, cakes, and other food products. Wheat contains about protein 12%, carbohydrate 71.2%, Mineral 1.5% and Fibre 1.2% but is deficient in the essential amino acid lysine. In India, wheat production for the 2024-25 seasons is estimated at a record 117.51 million ton, with an area of 32.76 million hec. and a yield of 3.58 ton./hec. (IPAD 2025). Uttar Pradesh is typically the largest wheat-producing state, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh is a major wheat-producing state in India, known for its high protein wheat varieties like Sharbati and Durum. While the area under wheat cultivation has increased in recent years, wheat production in MP has seen a decline in the past three years. The area under wheat cultivation in Madhya Pradesh has increased by 44% in the past 15 years. In Madhya Pradesh, wheat production for 2023-2024 is estimated at a record 1132.92 Lakh ton, which is higher than the previous year's production. The area under wheat cultivation and its productivity have also seen increases. Specifically, the area increased by 5.46 per cent in 2022-23 compared to the previous year and the productivity was recorded at 32.98 quintals per hectare, slightly higher than the previous year's 32.73 quintals per hectare. The Government of India launched the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) at the beginning of the 11th Five Year Plan in 2007, aiming to increase the production of rice by 10 million tonnes, wheat by 8 million tonnes and pulses by 2 million tonnes. The mission continued during the 12th Five Year Plan with revised targets of 25 million tonnes of additional food grain production, including 10 million tonnes of rice, 8 million tonnes of wheat, 4 million tonnes of pulses, and 3 million tonnes of coarse cereals. The key components of NFSM during this phase included: NFSM-Rice, NFSM-Wheat, NFSM-Pulses, NFSM-Coarse Cereals and NFSM-Commercial Crops. To boost wheat production and productivity, the National Food Security Mission -Wheat (NFSM-W) was implemented in 12 states: Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The primary goal of this initiative was to promote and integrate wheat production and protection technologies among farmers to achieve higher yields. In this mission training as well as required kit of inputs were also provided to farmers for this purpose particularly related to wheat. The kit has several eco-friendly inputs necessary for production and protection of Wheat crop. The mission has been completed almost six years (2007-08 to 2011-12). Since sufficient time has been passed, in this context, it was felt to conduct impact study in the districts which is covered under NFSM-W to evaluate the performance of NFSM-W in Madhya Pradesh. The present study is an attempt to evaluate the impact assessment of National Food Security Mission (NFSM) of wheat growers of shahpura block of Jabalpur district with the following objectives.

Objectives of the study 1. To analyze the relationship between independent

variable with the production of wheat under NFSM. 2. To study the various facilities extended by NFSM to wheat grower and difficulties to overcome them. 3. Constrain faced by the wheat growers under NFSM.

Materials and Methods

The study was carried out in the Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh, which is centrally located within the state. Geographically, the district lies between 22°49′ to 24°08′ North latitude and 79°21′ to 80°53′ East longitude. It is bordered by Damoh and Narsinghpur districts to the west, Shahdol and Mandla to the east, Katni and Panna to the north, and Seoni and Balaghat to the south. The district primarily falls within the Vindhyan plateau, which slopes towards the south, and the Narmada River separates it from Anuppur district. Jabalpur district consists of seven blocks, out of which Shahpura block was purposefully selected for the study, as it has the largest area under wheat cultivation. Shahpura comprises 203 villages, and six villages were chosen based on the highest number of wheat farmers benefiting from the NFSM program. In each of these selected villages, a list of NFSM wheat growers was prepared with assistance from RAEOs. From each village, 20 farmers were randomly selected using a simple random sampling technique, resulting in a total sample size of 120 wheat growers for the study. The research design plays a critical role in the research process, involving comprehensive planning and execution. To address the research questions, an ex post-facto research design was adopted. Data were analyzed using statistical tools such as frequency, percentage, mean, and correlation coefficient. The zero-order correlation coefficient between 15 different variables and the change in wheat production is presented in Table 2. The data indicate that variables such as age, family size, and mass media exposure had a negative and nonsignificant correlation with changes in wheat production. In contrast, variables including education, landholding size, area under wheat cultivation, number of training programs attended, frequency of extension worker visits, availability of farm power, material possessions, annual income, participation in extension activities, farmers' attitudes towards the NFSM, knowledge of improved wheat production techniques, and the adoption of such technologies showed a positive and statistically significant correlation at the 1% level of probability with the change in wheat production among farmers. Similar finding were reported by Chaitra et al. and Roy et al.

Results and Discussion

Relationship of independent variable with change in wheat production

Facilities extended to wheat growers under NFSM

Constraint faced by the wheat growers under NFSM

Conclusion

The study reveals that the change in wheat production is significantly influenced by various socio-economic and technological factors. Variables such as education, land holding, area under wheat crop, number of trainings received, frequency of extension worker visits, farm power, material possession, annual income, extension participation, farmers' attitude toward the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), knowledge of improved wheat production technology, and adoption of these technologies exhibited a positive and statistically significant correlation with wheat production changes at a 1% probability level. On the other hand, changes in wheat production showed a negative and non-significant relationship with age, family size, and mass media exposure. Also, the data suggests that NFSM has been effective in providing critical inputs and support to wheat growers, contributing to improved agricultural practices and productivity, though some areas like field demonstrations could be enhanced for broader impact. While NFSM has provided valuable support, the presence of these constraints indicates the need for improved institutional support, timely delivery of services, better market linkages, and stronger extension services to ensure that the intended benefits of the mission fully reach the farming community.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementI am very thankful to Dr. S.K. Agrawal and my esteemed university who gave me full cooperation in doing my work. I would also thank to my friends who give me proper guidance.

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