View of AGRICULTURE EXTENSION PROGRAMMES

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Vol. 05,Special Issue 02, (IC-IRSHEM-2020) February 2020, Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in/index.php/AJEEE

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AGRICULTURE EXTENSION PROGRAMMES Dr. Menaka Dhabhai

Assistant Professor 1. INTRODUCTION

Similar to most developing countries, India is observing a structural transformation with the share of agriculture sector in total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) declining and that of non-agriculture (industry and services) increasing. Between TE 1992-93 and TE 2013-14 the share of agriculture in total GDP declined from 29 percent to 17.4 percent. Despite this decline, India continues to be predominantly an agrarian rural economy, with around 69 percent of its population living in rural areas (Census 2011) and around 47 percent 1 of the workforce engaged in agriculture (Labour Bureau, 2015-16). Moreover, around 270 million people in India (22 percent of India's population) live below the poverty line, of which 80 percent reside in rural areas.

Research Education and Extension: With a view of rising population pressure on land, there is a very rare chance of increasing the area under cultivation. Thus, it is highly desirable to increase crop productivity through the use of befitting technologies for developing better crop varieties, better methods of cultivation and better methods of reduction in the cost of cultivation. Considering the growing importance of agricultural research for inclusive growth and development, the draft state agriculture policy (GOR, 2012 a) has proposed to the highest priority and double the resource allocation to state agriculture universities (SAUs) in the next five years. The state-specific agricultural research systems are proposed to be revisited and reoriented to achieve desired goals for sustainable agriculture. It has proposed to upscale the technologies for large scale adoption in crops, livestock, horticulture, fisheries, agro-forestry and agro-processing sectors of agriculture and women empowerment. The emergence of globalization in agriculture and the challenges of climate change have necessitated emphasizing on raising the level of efficiency and resilience in agriculture that has been kept as the priority areas of agricultural research in the SAUs, KVKs, and ATCs in the state.

1.1 Objectives of Agriculture Extension Programme

1. To promote sustainable use of national resources such as land and water.

2. To promote soil health management and integrated nutrient management.

3. Promote the use of agricultural inputs based on the recommendation of soil and water testing.

4. To promote organic farming

5. To reduce the cost of cultivation and strive for the holistic development of farmers.

6. To promote women empowerment in agriculture.

Agriculture development programmes by the government are as follows:

1.2 Mass Media Support to Agriculture Extension:

This scheme utilizes the existing infrastructure of Doordarshan. All India Radio and IGNOU to provide information to the farming community. The scheme was launched on 21st January 2004. It has three main components:

a) Use of FM transmitters of All India Ratio - FM Kisan Vani Station:

b) Narrowcasting:

c) National Kisan Channel:

d) Capacity Building:

2. NEW SCHEME-EXTENSION SUPPORT TO CENTRAL INSTITUTIONS / DOE

The scheme "Extension support to central institutions/directorate of extension" envisages central support to the main scheme through pooling of various components of the on-going ninth plan schemes and new initiative (supporting promotion of private-sector extension, gender mainstreaming, etc.) its components are (i) support to National Institutes of Training; (ii) Training abroad of Directorate of Extension/State Officials;

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(iii)National/International fairs/ exhibitions and awards; (iv) capacity building through distance learning; (v) Development programmes; (vi) media publicity support to agriculture;

(vii) Human resource development programme; (viii) Support to Directorate of Extension; (ix) Central monitoring and evaluation. These conform with the extension reforms proposed in the policy framework for agricultural extension.

3. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

A network of training infrastructure has been created/strengthened to provide training support in agriculture extension for the capacity building of extension functionaries. It includes the National Institute of Agriculture Extension Management at the national level, four extension education institutes at the regional level and state agriculture management extension training institute (SAMETIs) in seven NATP states.

4. EXTENSION EDUCATION INSTITUTES (EEIs)

Four EEIs are providing training support to middle-level functionaries of state Governments at the regional level. These are EEI, Nilakheri, Haryana set up in 1959; EET, Rajendra Nagar, Andhra Pradesh set up in 1962; EET, Anand, (Gujarat) set up in 1962 and EET, Jorhat. Assam set up in 1987. During 2004-05, 97 training courses with 1914 participants have been planned out of which 61 training courses have been organized with 1238 participants until September 2004. As against the budget allocation of Rs. 13500 thousand, an amount of Rs. 1000 thousand has been released till December 2004.

5. STATE AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT EXTENSION TRAINING INSTITUTES (SAMETI) One SAMETI in each of the seven NATP states namely Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Orissa, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand has been supported under ITD component of NATP to provide training support to agriculture in the state. A total of 92 training courses for 1380 participants have during 2004-05.

6. INFORMATION SUPPORT/MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (MIS)

Information support to farmers and extension functionaries is provided through several activities, in addition to the newly launched schemes of Kisan Call Centers and the use of mass media. These are:

a) State/Regional/National/International/Fair/Exhibitions and awards the Directorate of extension organizes/participates in various state/regional/national/

international/fairs/exhibitions. During 2004-05, as against the budget allocation of Rs. 42600 thousand, an amount of Rs. 8,196 thousand has been released until December 2004.

b) Use of print media in Technology Transfer: Funds are released to SAUs for bringing out regular columns on current agriculture practices in regional languages in the local print media.

c) Publications: The directorate of extension brought out bimonthly journals-intensive agriculture and agriculture extension review (in English) and zinnat krishi and krishi vistar samiksha (in Hindi). Special issues of intensive agriculture and unnat krishi were brought out on the occasion of world food day on the theme of an international alliance against hunger.

d) Production and procurement of Audio-Video films/spots:

a. Funds are released for the production of video films and video spots on various themes of agriculture and allied subjects.

7. WOMEN SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS 7.1 Gender Resource Center (GRC)

The extension division has been implementing women-specific programmes in agriculture both with central/bilateral assistance since 1982. The experience of working with women programmes has highlighted a series of critical gaps which need to be addressed along two paths, namely through "strategy of mainstreaming of women in agriculture is one of the main reforms suggested by the PFAE, which is proposed to be operationalized through state extension work plan (SEWP).

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During 2004-05 a brainstorming session on roles, responsibilities, and mandate of gender resource center has been organized. A gender budget analysis of programmes and schemes is also envisaged during the year.

8. FARM WOMEN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES 8.1 Women in Agriculture

The central sector scheme of women in agriculture is under implementation in one district each of 15 states of the country namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, and Utter Pradesh. 450 viable groups of women farmers have been constituted and 9000 farm women have been directly trained under the scheme. The unspent balance of Rs. 9000 thousand (2003-04) has been revalidated for its utilization during the current financial year. Besides, there is a budget provision of Rs. 16500 thousand for 2004-05 under this component. This component has been subsumed in the new proposed scheme 'support to sates for extension reforms' from 2005-06.

8.2 Externally aided projects for the training of women in agriculture

a) Women youth training and extension project (WYTEP), Karnataka: The project was launched in 1982 and 180786 farm women have received institutional training, 660 farm women were trained in 21 link workers training and 2021 farm women were trained in 88 posts institutional training till September 2004. The project covers all the districts in the state.

b) Madhya Pradesh training of women in Agriculture (MAPWA): The project was launched in November 1993 and 25900 farm women have been directly trained under the project. During 2004-05, 6025 farm women were trained in 241 village- based training and 4625 farm women were trained in 185 pre-seasonal training.

Besides, 1129 self-help groups of farm women have also been constituted and 71 farm women conferences have been organized in which 7100 women farmers participated till September, 20.4 MAPWA covers 14 districts namely Chindwara, Jabalpur, Mandla, Narsinghpur, Raisen, Rewa, Shahdol, Dindori, Katni, Umaraia, Balaghat, Satna, Sconi & Anoopur.

c) c) Andhra Pradesh Training of Women in Agriculture (ANTWA) in ew mode (macro-management mode): After the withdrawal of Dutch Assistance from March 2004, the project has been approved to be implemented under macro-management with a budget outlay of Rs. 3100 thousand during 2004-05.

d) UNDP programme for food security: The project, which started from 1st April 1998 with an estimated budget outlay of approx. Rs. 41,1200 rice technology for large scale adoption in India by ICAR (concluded in December 2002); (ii) maize-based cropping system in India by TMOP&M Division of DOAC; (iii) sustainable dryl and agriculture by Mahila Sanghams, Andhra Pradesh in six districts of A.P.; (iv) empowerment of women farmers for food security in Uttar Pradesh in ten districts of U.P. and 1 district of Uttaranchal (v)(a) strengthening natural resource management and sustainable livelihoods for women of tribal Orissa in 7 districts, (b) supplementary program for selected 4 super cyclone-affected districts and (vi) management support for food security programme, in all the women-specific projects in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, 2206 farm women groups have been mobilized and over 50,000 farm women have been supported under the project during the year with a total expenditure of Rs. 770,00 thousand as against an allocation of Rs. 700,00 thousand during the year 2004-05.

Details of central sector scheme, 'Mass Media Support to Agricultural Extension'.

The university extension network has been seized of the science and technology needs of the rural population in the agriculture sector and is playing a major role in improving their projects undertaken by the university over the years. These projects aim to demonstrate the feedback on the operational, technological and social constraints. The important projects undertaken with specific objectives include the IVLP, ATIC, project on ITK, integrated village development programme, a village adoption programme for organic farming seed production programme, project on video film production, print media project, etc. some of the important project undertaken are :

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 Institution Village Linkage Programme (IVLP) :

 Agriculture Technology Information Centre (ATIC)

 Seed Production Programme

 Project on Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK)

 Vermi-composting Programme

 Innovative Project of Integrated Village Development (Adarsh Gaonyojna)

 Technology Transfer through Print Media

 Video Film Production

 Popularization of fruits plants in the tribal household to improve nutrition status.

Research and extension components work hand in hand through Need-based technological development and refinement. Intimate links are maintained by the university extension education service with the research departments on the one hand and the field level functionaries of different state departments, development agencies, and farmers on the other. To coordinate this, there is an extension advisory council (EAC) in the university. The council Comprises Vice-Chancellor as Chairman and Director of Extension Education as a member secretary.

The other members include agriculture production secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan, all Deans, Directors, Head of Departments, Chief Scientists cum Head of KVKs, two external scientists of eminence and three progressive farmers as nominated by the Vice-Chancellor.

To consider all the proposals, programmes and progress on various aspects to extension activities and offers suggestions for the effective functioning of the University Extension System, the Extension Advisory Council meets at least once in a year.

As per the mandate, a Scientific Advisory Committee compresses a cross-section of the scientific, farming community, representatives of both government and non-government organizations like are directly or indirectly involved in agricultural training, development and productional process.

9. SOME NEW DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES 9.1 Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana(PMKSY)

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched on 1st July 2015 with the motto of ‘Har Khet Ko Paani’ for providing end-to-end solutions in the irrigation supply chain, viz. water sources, distribution network, and farm-level applications. PMKSY aside from creating sources for assured irrigation also creates protective irrigation by harnessing rainwater at the micro-level through ‘Jal Sanchay’ and ‘Jal Sinchan’. To ensure ‘Per drop- More crop’ Micro-irrigation is to be popularised. PMKSY adopts State-level planning and projected execution, which allows States to draw up their irrigation development based on District Irrigation Plans and State Irrigation Plans.

9.2 Soil Health Card Scheme

Launched in 2015, the scheme has been introduced to serve State Governments to issue Soil Health Cards to every farmer in the country. The Soil Health Cards provide information to farmers on the nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on the appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.

9.3 Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)

It is implemented to promote organic farming in the country. To improve soil health and organic matter content and increase the net income of the farmer to realize premium prices.

Under this scheme, an area of 5 lakh acre is targeted to be covered though 10,000 clusters of 50 acres each, from the year 2015-16 to 2017-18.

9.4 National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)

It provides an e-marketing platform at the national level and supports the creation of infrastructure to enable e-marketing. By ensuring better price discovery this innovative market process is revolutionizing agriculture markets. Pushing towards ‘One Nation One Market’, it draws in transparency and healthy competition to allow farmers to get revised remuneration for their produce.

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5 9.5 Agriculture Contingency Plan

In collaboration with state agricultural universities using a conventional template to tackle anomalous monsoon situations leading to drought and floods, extreme events (heat waves, cold waves, frost, cyclone) adversely affecting crops, livestock and fisheries (including horticulture), ICAR and CRIDA (Central Research Institute for Dryl and Agriculture) has developed district-level Agriculture Contingency Plans.

9.6 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)

Under PMFBY which is an actuarial premium based scheme, farmers have to pay a maximum premium of 2% for Kharif, 1.5% for Rabi food & oilseed crops and 5% for annual horticultural crops and remaining part of the bidded premium is shared equally by the Centre and State Government. The scheme's primary objective is to facilitate prompt claims settlement. Subject to the timely provision of both yield data and share of premium subsidy by the State Government, the claims must be settled within two months of harvest.

9.7 Livestock insurance Scheme

It aims to provide a protection mechanism to the farmers and cattle rearers against any eventual loss of animals due to death. The scheme also demonstrates the benefit of the insurance of livestock to the people and popularizes it with the ultimate goal of attaining a qualitative improvement in livestock and their products.

10. CONCLUSION

The above study is showing that the agricultural extension programs which were run earlier and which are currently running have been extremely beneficial for the development of agriculture and the programs that are currently running have benefited the farmers immensely and there has been an increase in agricultural productivity. The progress in every field of agriculture has been through these programs, if the government continues to run such programs, then the day is not far when the farmer will become fully self-reliant.

REFERENCES

1. https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageLink&DO=firstLink&intSubID=33 2. https://aukota.org/activities-and-services/extension-education/extension-activities/

3. https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageLink&DO=firstLink&intSubID=33

4. http://agricoop.gov.in/divisiontype/rainfed-farming-system/programmes-schemes-new-initiatives 5. https://krishijagran.com/agripedia/important-government-schemes-programmes-in-agriculture/

6. http://agricoop.nic.in/divisiontype/rainfed-farming-system

7. https://www.ruralschemes.com/agriculture-major-programs-and-schemes/

8. https://www.manifestias.com/2019/06/24/national-agriculture-market-e-nam/

9. https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=181285

10. https://www.crackias.com/news-details.php?news_id=6179&page_no=9

11. Solanki, A.S., S.S. Acharya, Sunita Verma (1990) : "Development strategy of Rajasthan Agriculture"

12. Swaminathan M.S. (1990) : Agriculture in 2000 A.D. in India, "Agricultural Marketing of ISAM, Pune, June, P. 3-5.