Sustainable intensification and diversification of agriculture production systems will be achieved through a large scale program of awareness creation and on-farm demonstrations on new seeds and promising technologies, capacity building and training activities; and by leveraging private sector investments in water management and farm mechanization. Climate risk resilience will be built into crop and horticulture production systems by:.
(a) promoting cultivation of short duration, high yielding, drought-, pest- and disease-tolerant crops/varieties of pulses, maize, oilseeds, millets, vegetables and fruits;
(b) An installation of micro irrigation drip and fertigation systems;
(c) promoting water saving agronomic practices like the system of rice intensification and the sustainable sugarcane initiative.
For linking production with market demand, farmers will be supported and trained to grow those crops and commodities for which there is market demand, including shift from paddy to low water requiring crops in which Tamil Nadu is deficient. ICT-based activities like e-Velanmai, Farmer Cropping Advisory, etc. will be introduced and expanded.
Special attention is being paid to raise productivity and area of low productivity crops like green manures, pulses and groundnut. The farmers will be encouraged to produce the seeds required for their villages and they would be supported with revolving fund.