Scope of Allied Sectors in Rural Livelihoods
While traditional field crop cultivation remains fundamental, allied agricultural sectors provide year-round income streams, reduce vulnerability to monsoon failures, and improve household nutritional security.
The allied sub-sectors comprise animal husbandry, dairying, poultry production, inland and marine fisheries, sericulture, apiculture (beekeeping), and agroforestry integrated into diversified farming models.
- Dairy & Animal Husbandry: Milk production, cattle breeding, goat and sheep rearing
- Fisheries & Aquaculture: Freshwater pond culture, shrimp farming, and cage culture
- Horticulture & Floriculture: High-density fruit orchards, protected polyhouse vegetables, and spices
- Beekeeping & Sericulture: Non-land-based enterprises generating supplementary farm income
Institutional Credit and Priority Sector Lending (PSL)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandates commercial banks to allocate a specific percentage of their Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) toward agriculture and allied sectors under Priority Sector Lending norms.
Crucially, the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme has been expanded to cover working capital needs for animal husbandry, dairying, and fisheries, providing concessional interest subvention rates to allied sector farmers.
- Priority Sector Lending (PSL): Mandated bank credit allocation to agriculture and allied enterprises
- Allied KCC Facility: Concessional working capital credit for dairy, poultry, and fish farming
- NABARD Refinancing: Concessional refinance support channeled through rural cooperative and regional banks
- Collateral-free limits: Concessional borrowing provisions up to prescribed institutional thresholds
Flagship Government Development Missions
The Government of India implements targeted central development missions to modernize allied farm infrastructure, establish cold chains, and support farmer producer organizations (FPOs).
Key initiatives include the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) for fisheries, the National Livestock Mission (NLM), and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF).
- PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): Infrastructure modernisation and fish productivity development
- National Livestock Mission (NLM): Breed improvement, fodder development, and livestock entrepreneurship
- Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF): Subsidized loans for dairy and meat processing units
- Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): Medium-to-long term debt financing for post-harvest management assets
Official source
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Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What sub-sectors are included under agriculture and allied activities in India?
Allied activities encompass dairy farming, livestock rearing (cattle, goats, sheep, pigs), poultry, fisheries, aquaculture, sericulture, apiculture, horticulture, and agroforestry.
Can farmers obtain a Kisan Credit Card (KCC) for animal husbandry and fisheries?
Yes, the Government of India expanded the KCC facility to cover working capital requirements for animal husbandry, dairy, and fisheries at concessional interest subvention rates.
What is the role of NABARD in supporting allied activities?
NABARD provides institutional refinance to cooperative and commercial banks, formulates model bankable project profiles, and administers development funds for rural infrastructure.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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