Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare released the guidelines for setting up of Bio-Input Resource Centres (BRCs) under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF).

About Bio-Input Resource Centres (BRCs)

List of purposes served by BRCs like Maintaining and sale of cultures of bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides for multiplication and use by farmers, Preparation and sale of ready-to-use organic inputs, Training farmers on the preparations of botanical extracts and animal based inputs etc.

A BRC is cluster-level enterprise where time tested, locally prepared Inputs/formulations utilizing biological entities (useful for soil health, crop growth, pest or disease management) are made available for purchase by farmers in a defined geographical area.
In the Budget Speech 2023-24, Government had announced setting up of 10,000 BRCs under National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF).

Key-features of the Guidelines

Financial assistance: Rs 1 lakh for setting up a BRC (Assistance does not include sheds, renting of premises, etc.).
Convergence with other Schemes/Programmes: Like Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisation, National Mission on Edible Oilseeds, etc.
Preparation of Bio-Inputs: As per the requirements of the local farmers, local land-use patterns, soil types and local crop systems.
Who can operate BRCs: Practicing Natural Faming (NF) farmers, Farmer Producer Organization (FPOs), Self-Help Groups (SHG), Cooperatives, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) etc. with Goshalas at Gram Panchayat.

About National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)

Aim: Promoting NF practices for providing safe & nutritious food for all.
Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme
- Centre: State share - 90:10 for Hilly & North Eastern States and 60:40 for all other States
Tenure: Till 2025-26
Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare.
National Steering Committee (NSC): At National level, under Chairpersonship of Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare to steer the mission.
Key Targets:
- 15,000 clusters in Gram Panchayats, which are willing.
- Reach 1 crore farmers and initiate Natural Farming (NF) in 7.5 lakh Ha area.
- Around 2000 NF Model Demonstration Farms shall be established at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Agricultural Universities (AUs) and farmers' fields.
- 30,000 Krishi Sakhis (Community Resource Persons - CRP) for easy scaling up of NF practices and knowledge.