National Conference on Agriculture Kharif Campaign – 2008

1. National Conference on Agriculture Kharif Campaign – 2008 NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEM (NAES) – STRATEGY FOR REVITALIZATION Rajendra Kumar Tiwari, Joint Secretary, DAC, MoA, Govt. of India

2. Structure of Presentation • Focus • Policy Pronouncements • Challenges in Extension System • Approach to Revitalization • Strengthening of Extension Machinery • Financial Implications • Issues

3. The Focus • Farmer at the centre of attention not just farming • Emphasis on Rs./hec. rather than tons/hec. • Farming as an attractive and rewarding profession with a sense of pride • Emphasis on diversification and farming system approach • National Food Security

4. Previous Initiatives • T&V System introduced in mid-70s. • Village Extension Worker (VEW) – most important link at field level. • Main components : • One VEW was covering about 1000-1500 farmers; • VEW was to transfer information and knowledge to contact farmers during his weekly/fortnightly visit to assigned villages; and • VEW was himself trained by Subject Matter Specialists (SMS) during one-day fortnightly training at block/district level. • More successful in irrigated areas and for selected cereal crops. • Significant increase in the number of VEWs, having related financial implications.

5. Policy Pronouncements Relating to Extension-I • 53rd NDC Resolution ( 29.5.07) • New initiatives for skill development • Training of farmers in modern methods and imparting skills relevant to non-agricultural activities. • Major expansion and revamping of State Agriculture Extension System. • National Policy on Farmers-2007 • Support to strengthen extension machinery through retraining and retooling of existing extension personnel. • Farmers-to-farmers learning.

6. Policy PronouncementsRelating to Extension-II • Planning Commission Working Group on Extension(2006) • Strengthening of Extension Reform Agencies • Farmer-to-Farmer Extension through Farm Schools • Recognition/Awards to outstanding farmers • Significantly enhanced outlays • Budget Document 2007-08 • Green Revolution brought about by efforts of Agriculture Extension Workers & Farmers • Need to revive Extension System through a programme that replicates T&V

7. Challenges of Extension System • Limited Reach • Lack of participatory and inclusive planning • Uneven growth of non-governmental extension system • Wide gap between emerging needs & available skill at field level • Limited synergy amongst various stake holders

8. Comprehensive Growth in Agriculture Govt. – Policy, Infrastructure & Extn. Support Increased Role of Private Sector/ PPP Required 4% inclusive growth in Agriculture Optimally contributed by all agro-eco regions Propelled by Strong Research- Extension- Farmer Linkage Driven & Shared by all Category of farmers

9. Current Extension Needs • End-to-end extension support • Incorporating market demand into production decisions • Single window support for diversified agriculture (allied sectors) • Welfare of farmers including women farmers.

10. ATMA – Cafeteria of Activities • Training and Exposure visits of Extension Functionaries and Farmers – Inter State, Intra State and Intra District • Demonstrations (Agri. & Allied sectors) – farmer-to-farmer technology dissemination • Farm Schools at GP / Block Level • Farmer Awards (State, District & Block Level) • Kisan Melas/ Exhibitions / Interactions at State, District and Block Level • Setting-up of CRS through KVKs • Innovative Activities

11. ATMA at a Glance - I • ATMA Model pilot tested in 28 distt. in 7 States under NATP during 1998-2005 • Launched in May 2005 as Centrally Sponsored Scheme • 567 districts with 5500 blocks have been covered • 565 ATMAs established • BTTs (3083) & FACs (3042) have been constituted • 8800 Farmers’ Groups promoted

12. ATMA at a Glance - II • Over 1000 Farm Schools have been operationalized • Over 17.80 Lakh farmers including 5.39 Lakh Women Farmers benefited through programmatic activities( exposure visits, demonstrations, trainings & exhibitions) • Over 400 NGOs have been involved for various activities in different States • MoU has been signed between GoMP & ITC on PPP in Extension for 12 districts

13. Approach to Revitalization - I • Reaching to individual farmers through group approach – upto the Village Level • Farm Schools to formalize the concept of farmer-to-farmer learning, guidance and extension; the guiding principle is seeing and harvesting is believing. • Training and capacity building of public extension functionaries e.g. launching of PG diploma on AEM by MANAGE, Exposure Visits • Focus on PPP - Private sector companies, FOs, Agri-preneurs, PRIs, NGOs and cooperatives to complement and supplement the efforts of NAES.

14. Approach to Revitalization - II • End-to-end knowledge support. • Focus on farming system approach. • Proportionate utilization of funds for Rainfed areas • Special attention to the extension needs of women farmers. • Decentralized decision making. The representative of farmers and non-Government sectors would be equal partners along with Government functionaries in decision-making. • Recognize excellence through Farmer Awards to be instituted at Block, District, State and National levels. • Mass Media and IT to be fully utilized – strong institutional arrangements for web enabled services including information dissemination, evaluation & monitoring.

15. Proposed Extension Scenario F U N D F L O W DAC, Extension Division W O R K P L A N MANAGE & EEIs State Nodal Cell / SAMETI ATMA FAC BTT Focal Point KCC Agents Farmer’s Friend Kisan Mitra FIGs Farm Schools Ind. Farmers Agri-preneurs

16. NAES – Village level

17. NAES – Panchayat (Sub-Block) Level

18. Farm Schools • Recommended by National Commission on Farmers (NCF). • Farm Schools would normally be set up in the field of outstanding, well recognized and awardees farmers. • “Teachers” in the Farm Schools could be progressive farmers, extension functionaries or experts belonging to Government or Non-Government Sector. • The trainees of Farm Schools would preferably be leaders of Commodity Interest Groups (CIGs) formed in different villages. • Operationalize Front Line Demonstrations with focus on Integrated Crop Management including field preparation, seed treatment, IPM, INM, etc. • Knowledge & skills ‘teachers’ to be upgraded through training & exposure visits & support from SMS / Focal Points

19. NAES – Block Level

20. NAES – District Level

21. NAES – State Level

22. Participation of Private Sector • Non-Governmental implementing agencies may prepare and seek approval of Extension Work Plans at the State level. • Minimum 10 per cent of outlay of the Programme is to be utilized through Non-Governmental implementing agencies. • Non-governmental implementing agencies to be eligible for service charge up to a maximum of 10 percent of the cost of the extension activities implemented through them. • Separate funding window for implementation of extension activities through agri-preneurs. • A Committee to develop draft MOU on PPP has been constituted by DAC.

23. Existing Staff Strength • Source: SEWP 2005-2006; Major States included • Include all Agriculture & Allied Departments • Variety of Activity

24. Proposed Staff Strength

25. Proposed Staff Strength

26. Proposed Staff Strength

27. Annual Financial Implications

28. Possible Modalities of Funding • Funding for Cafeteria of activities on 90:10 as Centrally Sponsored Scheme • Staff Component on the basis of 50:50 sharing between Centre & State • Other option is to fund the entire Staff Component under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana

29. Major Issues • Collective ownership of ATMA by Agriculture and allied Departments • Engagement with PRIs / Development Machinery • Performance based incentives for extension functionaries • Procedures for recruitment • Deliverables / outcome – short, medium and long term

30. mRre [ksrh e/;e ckufuf”k/k pkdjh Hkh[k funku & ?kk?k Agriculture is the best among all professions. Being sub-serviant to others is the worst.

31. THANK YOU