Extension Programmes of Ministry of Agriculture

Lecture - V
Dr. J. Meenambigai
Associate Professor
Department of Agricultural Extension
Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University

Extension Programmes of Ministry of
Agriculture
Training and Visit System (T&V)
Broad Based Extension System (BBES)
Farming System Research Extension (FSRE)
Agricultural Technology Management Agency
(ATMA)

Extension Programmes of Ministry of
Agriculture
Training and Visit System (T&V)
Farming System Research Extension
(FSRE)
Agricultural Technology Management
Agency (ATMA)

(Introduced under Tamil Nadu Agricultural
Development Project – TNADP)
This system has been introduced in Tamil Nadu
State from 1.4.1991. Government of Tamil Nadu
has entered into an agreement with World Bank
through Government of India for implementing
the project for seven years from 1991.

Need for Broad Based System
The Training and Visit system recognised the
farm family approach rather than ‘crop
approach’ and ‘area approach’. In irrigated areas
the village extension workers have full time
job because the agricultural crops occupy 9-10
months in a year. In dryland the village extension
workers do not have full time opportunities since
the crops occupy 4-6 months. The messages
delivered to the farmers were crop oriented and
less importance was given to allied activities.

How broad based extension is an
important over T & V System?
This system aims at rectifying the defects. Role of
subject matter specialist is amplified
and they are invited to formulate messages
suitable to their land based activities. The village
extension workers will have full time job by
offering messages during lean season. The
concept
of broad based education lies in formulating and
delivering composite messages to the farmers to
meet the needs of their full agricultural
environment.

Principles of broad based extension
Adoption of an integrated farming systems approach
for the generation of relevant composite messages.
Broadening the range of subjects from agricultural
crops to all allied subjects.
Improvement of the effective communication of the
farming community.
Introduction of resource based planning down to sub-
division level.
Encourages participation of non-governmental
organisation in all agricultural extension activities.

Objectives of the broad-based
extension
To increase the farm income.
To solve problems of the farming community.
To make extension system more cost effective.
To upgrade the quality of the extension workers.
To popularise integrated farming system
approach.

Scope of the broad based extension
system
The activities of all land based departments
will be unified in the long run. Duplication of
efforts and unhealthy competitions will be
avoided.
Agricultural department offers full support to
the activities of all the line departments.

Methodology
Broad based extension system help the farmers in
getting multiple message needed to improve their
overall economy besides helping to grow
agricultural crops.
Thus, the farmers are encouraged in sericultural
activities, growing good fodders, animal
husbandry activities and growing fish in the farm
ponds etc. These activities enable the farm
community to get extra income.

Need for the broad-based extension
This system was formed to encourage the activities of
the farmers.
Different departments compete with one another and
they have proposed to increase the staff component to
contact as many farmers as possible.
 World Bank and Government of India thought to utilise
the well established extension agency and bringing all
extension and land based activities together.

Role of Subject Matter Specialist
 District level subject matter specialists were positioned
under the T & V system. They were SMS agronomy, SMS
plant protection, SMS information and training and SMS
training and visit. One additional SMS is responsible for the
activities of oilseeds, horticulture etc., SMS have to expand
their horizon.
 For instance SMS agronomy has to expand his activities to
areas like mulbery cultivaition, fruit trees, fodder cultivation
etc. In areas where SMS is not available trainers from that
particular department will act as SMS in that particular
department will act as SMS in that particular subject.

Organisational set up
The extension system created under T & V
system will be maintained.
The VEW, AO, Taluk level SMS, District level
SMS will be operating. There will be only
marginal changes in the strength of field
functionaries. The ratio of one VEW to farm
families will be brought down and thus there
will be marginal increase of VEW.

Operational guidelines
The monthly zonal workshop, fortnightly
training, and fixed programme of field visits
will be continued without any change.
In the monthly zonal workshop SMS will help
to formulate messages which are location
specific.

Farming System Research
Extension (FSRE)

Farming System Research Extension
(FSRE)

Agricultural Technology Management
Agency
Agricultural Technology Management Agency
(ATMA) is one of the innovations technology
dissemination components of National
Agricultural Technology Project (NATP).
 It is functions as a registered society at District
level and serves as a focal point for integrating
research and extension activities and helps in
decentralizing the management of agricultural
technology transfer.

The members of ATMA include the representatives
of Department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry,
Horticulture, and Fisheries.
 Each research-extension unit would retain its
institutional identity and the management
committee of ATMA would plan extension
activities.
At present ATMA is in operation in twenty-four
district spread over six states viz., Andhra Pradesh,
Bihar, Orissa, Maharashtra, Punjab and Himachal
Pradesh.
Cont…..

Objectives
 To strengthen research – extension – farmer linkages
 To provide an effective mechanism for co-ordination and
management of activities of different agencies involved in
technology adaption / validation and dissemination at the
district level and below.
 To increase the quality and type of technologies being
disseminated.
 To move towards shared ownership of the agricultural
technology system by key shareholders.
 To develop new partnerships with the private institutions
including NGOs.

Establishment
Under ATMA, there is a provision for Governing
Board which functions as a policy making body
and provides guidance as well as reviews
progress and functioning of ATMA.
 A separate Management Committee constituted
under ATMA would be responsible for planning
and reviewing of the day to day activities.
The composition and key functions of Governing
Board and Management Committee as per ICAR
(1998), NATP document are given below.

ATMA Governing Board Composition
1. District magistrate / Collector Chairman
2. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vice-Chairman
3. Joint Director / Deputy Director (Agri.) Member
4. A member from ZRS / KVk "
5. One farmer representative "
6. One livestock producer "
7. One horticulture farmer "
8. Representative of women farmer interest
group
"
9. One SC/ST farmer representative "
10. A Representative of NGO "
11. Lead Bank Officer of the District "
12. A representative of NGO "
13. Representative of Input Supply Association "
14. Representative if Input Supply Association "
15. Project Director of ATMA "
16. One Fisheries / Sericulture representative Member-Secretary-
Cum Treasurer
member

Key functions :
Review and approve strategic and annual work
plans that are prepared and submitted by the
participating units.
Receive and review annual reports carried out by
the participating units, providing feedback and
direction to the participating units, a needed, about
the various research and extension activities being
carried out within the district.
Receive and allocate project funds to carry out
priority research, extension and related activities
within the District.

Foster the organization and development of
farmer's interest groups and farmers organization
within the district.
Facilitate the greater involvement of private
sector and firms and organizations in providing
inputs, technical support, agro-forestry and
marketing services to farmers.
Encourage agriculture lending institutions to
increase the availability of capital to resource
poor and marginal farmers, especially children
and women farmers.

Encourage each line department, plus the KVK
and ZRS to establish farmer advisory committee
to provide feedback and input into their respective
research and extension programme.
Enter into contract and agreements as appropriate
to promote and support agricultural development
activity within district.
Identify other sources of financial support that
would help ensure the financial sustainability of
ATMA and its participating units.

Establishing revolving funds / accounts for each
participating unit, and encourage each unit to
make available technical services, such as
artificial insemination or soil testing, on a cost
recovery basis moving towards full cost
recovery in a phased manner.
Arrange for the periodic audit of ATMA's
financial accounts and
Adopt and amend the rules and by-laws for the
ATMA

Management committee
Composition
1. Project Director ATMA Chairman
2. District head of Dept. of Agriculture Member
3. District head of Dept. of Horticulture "
4. District head of Dept. of Animal Husbandry "
5. District head of Dept. of Fisheries "
6. District head of Dept. of Sericulture "
7. District head of Dept. of appropriate line
department that may be important within the
district
"
8. Head, KVK/ZRS "
9. One representative of NGO, in charge of Farmer's
organization
"
10. Two representatives of farmer' organizations (One
year rotation basis)
"

Key functions
 Carry out periodic Participatory Rural Appraisal to
identify the problems and constraints faced by different
socio-economic groups and farmers within the district.
 Prepare an integrated, strategic technology plan for the
district that would specify short and medium term
adaptive research as well as technology validation and
refinement and extension priorities for the district, these
priorities should reflect the important farmer's
constraints, identified during the PRA.
 Prepare annual work plans that would be submitted to
ATMA Governing Board for review position,
modification and approval.

ATMA
 Maintain appropriate project accounts for submission to
technology dissemination unit for audit purposes.
 Coordinate the execution of this annual work plan
through participant line departments, ZRS, KVKs,
NGOs, FIGs /FOs and allied institutions, including
private sector firms.
 Establish coordinating mechanism at the block level,
such as Farmer Advisory Centre, that would integrate
extension and technology transfer activities at the block
and village levels.

ATMA
Provide annual performance reports to the
Governing Board outlining the various
research, extension and related activities that
were actually carried out, including target
achieved.
Provide secretariat to governing board and
initiate action or policy direction, investment
decision and other guidance received from the
board.

Salient Features of ATMS
Creating Farmer Advisory Committee to improve feed
back.
Using NGOs to organize farmers.
Encouraging private sector involvement in technology
transfer.
Validation and refining technologies through research
units in the district.
Bottom up planning procedure.

ATMA
Increased use of Information Technology (ARIS,
WWW).
In-service training to increase staff competence.
Developing new Public-Private partnerships.
Formation and strengthening of farmer's interest
group.

Process of Working of ATMA
Diagnostic survey by researchers and extension
worker along with other government staff from
the agriculture and other line departments, NGOs
and representatives of corporate sector processors,
input suppliers, bank and farmer representatives
using PRA techniques.
Identification of problems currently affecting the
technology dissemination system and limiting its
performance of sustainability.

ATMA
Determination of the main opportunities and
constraints (markets, input supplies, financial and
social factors, the natural resource base etc.) that
should be considered for development planning.
Formulation of Strategic Adaptive Research and
Extension Plan for the District, setting out
technical objectives as well as innovations to be
introduced into the organizations and funding of
technology dissemination.

ATMA
Preparation of specific action plus
implementation responsibilities of the public
sector and other stockholders for the specific
year.
Arranging technical programs covering the
need for adaptive research, farmer participatory
trials, demonstration, field days and the
development of extension recommendation for
the coming season.

Extension Programmes of Ministry of Agriculture

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