Namami Gange Organic Farming Cluster Scheme (UP)

Why it matters

Pays farmers along the Ganga to switch to chemical-free organic farming, cutting pollution in the river while helping them earn a premium on organic produce.

What you get

As part of the Namami Gange programme to reduce agricultural chemical runoff into the Ganga, the Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Department has established over 3,370 organic farming clusters along a 5-kilometre stretch on both banks of the river, covering districts including Varanasi, Chandauli, Sant Ravidas Nagar, Mirzapur, Prayagraj, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh. Roughly 90,000 farming families have joined these clusters. Each cluster of about 50 acres is eligible for a grant of around Rs 10 lakh over three years to support the transition to organic inputs, certification, and market linkage, helping farmers reduce input costs and access better prices for chemical-free produce while cutting fertiliser/pesticide pollution of the river.

Eligibility criteria

• Farmer cultivating land within the designated 5 km Ganga-bank corridor in eligible districts
• Willingness to form/join an organic farming cluster (~50 acres)
• Commitment to transition away from chemical fertilisers and pesticides

How to apply

1. 1

   Contact the District Agriculture Office in an eligible Ganga-corridor district

2. 2

   Join or help form an organic cluster of contiguous farms

3. 3

   Receive training, organic inputs and certification support funded under the cluster grant

4. 4

   Access organic-marketing support for cluster produce

Documents required

• Aadhaar card
• Land record showing location within the eligible corridor
• Bank account details