Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)

What is Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)?

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) is a Government of India scheme run by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. It was launched in 2015 as part of the Soil Health Management component of the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, and it promotes organic farming across the country through a group, or "cluster", approach.

The central idea of PKVY is that organic farming works best when neighbouring farmers adopt it together. Instead of certifying one farm at a time through expensive third-party audits, PKVY organises farmers into clusters and uses the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India), a peer-review model in which group members inspect and vouch for each other's practices. This keeps certification affordable for small and marginal farmers while still producing produce that can be marketed as PGS-Organic.

According to the scheme guidelines, PKVY provides financial support at roughly Rs 50,000 per hectare spread over three years at the cluster level. A large part of this; commonly cited as around Rs 31,000 per hectare: is passed directly to farmers through direct benefit transfer for organic inputs, bio- fertilisers, seeds, and on-farm and post-harvest activities. The remainder covers cluster formation, training, PGS certification and value addition. Because the figures are set year to year in the operative guidelines, farmers should confirm the current rate with their state agriculture department.

Key objectives

• Encourage groups of farmers to shift from chemical-intensive to organic farming through the cluster model.
• Reduce the cost of certification using the Participatory Guarantee System instead of costly third-party certification.
• Improve soil health and lower input costs for small and marginal farmers.
• Build local capacity for producing, certifying and marketing organic produce.

Who is eligible for PKVY?

You can take part if:

• You are a farmer willing to adopt organic practices as part of a cluster.
• Your land can be grouped with neighbouring farms to form a contiguous cluster of about 20 hectares.
• You agree to follow the PGS-India norms: maintaining records and taking part in peer inspections of other members' farms.

You cannot get an individual personal benefit if:

• You expect to apply alone through an online portal for a cash benefit. PKVY is not an individual DBT entitlement like a pension or scholarship; support flows through the cluster and its implementing agency, and a farmer who is not part of a cluster cannot apply on their own.
• You are unwilling to convert to organic practices or to take part in the group certification process, since PGS depends on mutual verification.

Enrolment, cluster formation and the release of assistance are handled by state agriculture departments, Regional Councils and implementing agencies. The scheme is demand-driven at the state level, so the availability of new clusters depends on the state's annual action plan.

What documents are required for PKVY?

How to apply for PKVY

1. Contact your state agriculture department, block agriculture office or Krishi Vigyan Kendra and ask whether a PKVY organic cluster is being formed in your area under the current year's action plan.
2. Join or form a cluster with neighbouring farmers so that a contiguous area of about 20 hectares can be enrolled together.
3. Register with the implementing agency / Regional Council and provide your Aadhaar, land records and bank passbook so the group and its members can be entered on the PGS-India portal.
4. Adopt the organic package of practices with training support, and take part in peer inspections of other members' farms as required by PGS-India.
5. Receive assistance through direct benefit transfer to your Aadhaar-seeded bank account as the cluster progresses through the three-year cycle, and use the PGS-Organic certification to market your produce.

Because PKVY is a state-implemented, cluster-based scheme, the single most important step is reaching the right state officer — the district or block agriculture office: rather than looking for a national online form.

How much does PKVY provide, and for how long?

The support cycle runs for three years per cluster. At the cluster level the guidelines provide around Rs 50,000 per hectare over that period, covering cluster formation, training, farmer support, PGS certification, value addition and marketing. The portion reaching farmers directly through DBT: commonly around Rs 31,000 per hectare: is meant for organic inputs such as bio-fertilisers, bio-pesticides, organic seeds and on-farm inputs, plus post-harvest and marketing help.

These rates are set in the operative-year guidelines and have been revised over time, so a farmer joining a new cluster should confirm the exact per-hectare assistance with the state agriculture department before enrolling.

How PKVY connects to organic and natural farming

PKVY sits within a broader push for chemical-free agriculture. It focuses on organic farming with PGS certification, while natural farming is now promoted through the separate National Mission on Natural Farming. Farmers sometimes confuse the two, but they run under different guidelines and portals. If your interest is specifically in certified organic produce and group certification, PKVY is the relevant scheme; if it is in low-external-input natural farming, ask your state department about the natural farming programme.

Help and where to get information

• Kisan Call Centre: 1800-180-1551 for general agriculture queries.
• State/district/block agriculture office for cluster formation and enrolment, the primary contact point for PKVY.
• PGS-India portal (pgsindia-ncof.gov.in) for certification records and Regional Council details.

PKVY does not charge farmers a fee to join a cluster, and PGS certification within the scheme does not carry a separate audit fee. Be cautious of anyone promising a personal cash grant in exchange for a fee: support under PKVY flows through the officially recognised cluster and implementing agency only.