Department of Agriculture and Horticulture (Assam)

The history behind the creation of the Department of Agriculture in Assam dates back to April 1882 during the colonial rule. The department was responsible for conducting crop-cutting experiments on winter rice, mustard and sugarcane cultivation in the state to assess the productivity of land preparation and assessment proposals during settlement.

In 1893, an Agricultural Conference was held in Shimla and based on the recommendations of the conference, the British Government deputed Sir E. Buck to Assam in 1895 to discuss and implement the conference's recommendations in Assam. Buck advocated the appointment of an agricultural expert to ascertain agricultural defects and introduce agricultural improvements. In 1897, B. C. Basu, a Deputy Collector in Bengal, was appointed as assistant director.

In 1905, following the partition of Bengal and the subsequent creation of the Eastern Bengal and Assam province, the Department of Agriculture was separated in 1907 to form the Department of Land Records and Agriculture. Assam became a separate province again in 1912 and the Department of Land Records and Agriculture continued to exist until 1922. In 1923, the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Industries was established.^[2]

Following India's independence in 1947 and the subsequent formation of the state government under the chief ministership of Gopinath Bordoloi, the Department of Agriculture was formed in the state. Omeo Kumar Das was appointed as the state's first agriculture minister. Since then, the department has existed.

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The Department of Agriculture and Horticulture is the nodal agency and is administered through two directorates and five specialised agencies:

The Directorate of Agriculture (Assamese: কৃষি সঞ্চালকালয়) is responsible for the formulation and implementation of the state's agrarian policies and programmes aimed at achieving rapid agricultural growth through optimum utilisation of land, water, soil and plant resources and implementation of beneficiary-oriented schemes for the economic upliftment of the farmers. The directorate also establishes farmer-dependent coordination in implementing and providing technological knowledge to the farming community through agricultural extension services.

The directorate is also responsible for creating assured irrigation facilities for farmers through minor irrigation schemes, promoting the use of farmer-friendly bio-fertilisers, encouraging farmers to minimise pesticide use, and controlling environmental pollution through integrated pest management. It also monitors soil health, educates farmers on soil and water conservation technologies, undertakes measures to provide agricultural credit and crop insurance, helps the farmers in getting remunerative returns for their produce, and implements flood and drought relief programmes. It also contributes towards the economic empowerment of women and the eradication of rural poverty.^[3]

The directorate is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the following schemes and projects:

The Directorate of Horticulture and Food Processing (Assamese: উদ্যান শস্য আৰু খাদ্য প্ৰক্ৰিয়াকৰণ সঞ্চালকালয়) is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes aimed at achieving rapid growth of the horticultural sector and ensuring an increase in area coverage to increase production and productivity of horticultural crops by transferring technology. It also undertakes all possible measures to ensure a timely and adequate supply of quality planting materials and motivates farmers to minimise the use of chemicals and adopt organic farming practices.

The directorate also aims to increase the production and productivity of fruit crops, vegetable crops, and spice crops and ensure good health and augment market and marketing facilities.

The Directorate of Horticulture and Food Processing is responsible for the implementation of the following schemes and projects:

The Assam Seeds Corporation Limited (Assamese: অসম বীজ নিগম লিমিটেড) (ASCL) was established in 1967 to provide unique services for the production of all kinds of high-yielding varieties of seeds to the farmers and other customers at a fair price. It also produces foundation seeds from breeder seed on its own farm, which are then procured from the Assam Agricultural University.^[4]

The Assam Seed and Organic Certification Agency (Assamese: অসম বীজ আৰু জৈৱিক প্ৰমাণীকৰণ সংস্থা) (ASOCA) was established on 1 January 1985 as an autonomous body of the Government of Assam under the Seed Act 1966 and was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The agency recognises varieties of seeds eligible for seed certification and publishes and maintains lists indicating the names of such varieties and kinds.^[5]

The Assam State Agricultural Marketing Board (Assamese: অসম ৰাজ্যিক কৃষি বিপণন ব’ৰ্ড) (ASAMB) was established under the Assam Agricultural Produce Market (AAPM) Act 1972 to provide for better regulation of buying and selling of agricultural produce and the establishment of a market for agricultural produce in the state of Assam.^[6] The board is responsible for the coordination of the working of the market committees for the development of the market and market areas and state level planning of the development of agricultural produce and markets.

The State Agriculture Management and Extension Training Institute (Assamese: ৰাজ্যিক কৃষি ব্যৱস্থাপনা আৰু সম্প্ৰসাৰণ প্ৰশিক্ষণ প্ৰতিষ্ঠান) (SAMETI) is the state-level nodal training institute of Tripura, established under the scheme "Support to State Extension Programme for Extension Reform" in the year 2011 at Krishi Bhavan Campus, Khanapara, Guwahati. The institution is autonomous in nature, with greater flexibility in structure and functioning, and is responsible for human resource development and capacity building of extension functionaries of different line departments on scientific extension management.

The Assam Small Farmers' Agri Business Consortium (Assamese: অসম ক্ষুদ্ৰ কৃষকৰ কৃষি ব্যৱসায় সংঘ) (ASFAC) was established on 1 October 2001 and was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 on 24 December 2001. The agency functions to catalyse agro industrial growth in different parts of Assam based on principles of ecological sustainability, economic efficiency and social equity, and undertakes programmes for employment generation, growth and diversification of agriculture and other food based industries to increase food production and export of food products.^[7]