'8 Financing Agriculture
March-April 2009
Agri-Clinic for Farm Prosperity
INTRODUCTION
The so witnessed Green Revolution
in Indiawasmadepossiblein irrigated
farms by sowing the seeds of high
yielding varieties and by the
applicationof chemicalfertilizersand
even todayit is realized with 230 m.t. about 400 million constitute about 40
of food production. It is being
estimated that food need would be
about 300 m.t. during the year 2020
and at the current food production
trend of about 2.50 m.t increase employment over education.
per year, it will be possible to add
another30 m.t only leaving with food
gap of 40 m.t.
Major Fann Issues
The major farm issues concerned
with tllis slow farm growth in India
are attributed to uneconomical farm technologies and seventy percent of
holdings. unpredictable weather,
declining soil health, low
infrastructure investment, increasing
input cost, inadequate agribusiness
professionalsfor the effectivetransfer
of technologies, increasing plant
protectionproblems,decreasingyield
growth, lack of sufficient storage
facilities,morenumberof middemen,
disintegratedvalue chain, inequitable
price to farmers and ultimate low
return on investment.
The Agri-Clinlc Scheme introduced
during the year 2004 as a central
sectorschemeis the onlyprofessional
and holistic approach for addressing
all the farm issues discussed, under
one umbrella.
A.Thanikachalam,
Lead District Manager,
Indian Overseas Bank, Nagapattinam
-A National Journal of Agriculture & Rural Development
A.Thanikachalam
Human Capital
In this context, it is pertinent to
analyse demographic scenario of
Future Farmers in our country.The
children of farmers and school
dropouts in rural villages numbering
percentofIndian populationinthe age
group up to 18years old. The farmers
in rural India feel education as low
value and hence they prefer
The outreach of the farm
technologies is the greatest problem
in Indiadueto lowliteracywithsocial,
cultural, economical and language
diversities. Only five percent of the
farmers are adopting the latest
the farmers are not aware of the best
farm practices.For example,existing
Soil Testing Laboratories are able to
test soil samples for about five
percent of the farm holdings only.
Hence it calls for agricultureoriented
human resource development
policies. Agri-Clhlics could
participate in agriculture oriented
education and skill training
programmes in rural villages.
Mutiple Gaps
The Agri-Clinics are also expected
to bridge the multiple gaps found in
manyfarmfrontsnamely(1)yieldgap
between potential and actual, (2)
Physical resource gap in cultivable
farm land and irrigated area (3) input
gap in nonavailability of adequate
quantityof highyieldingvariety seeds
and low fertilizer applicationrate (4)
0
ineffective communication methods
for the transfer of farm technologies
thereby leading to knowledge gap
among farmers (5) and farm credit
demand of Rs. 1,50,000 crore with
the supply of Rs. 4000 crore only.
Farmers Economic Gropus
The Agri-Clinics are expected to
promote many Farmers Economic
Groups in the villages for bringing
farmers participatory farm
development.The NABARDFarmers
club, Lift Irrigation Society, Joint
Liability Groups, Farmers Interest
Groups, Producers Company, Small
Farmers Agribusiness Consortium
and Women Farmers Self Help
Groups are some examples to be
promoted largely across the country.
Agri Clinic Services
The broad spectrum of fee based
servicespossible by Agri-Clinics are
crop selection, best farm practices,
post harvest value addition, key
agriculturalinformationslike internet
based weather forecast, price trend
credit proposal, input supply and
custom hiring of farm machineries
and equipments.
Under Soil Testing Laboratory,
analysis of soil and water, visual
diagnostic Kit, rapid tissue testing,
issueof SoilHealthCard,reclamation
of problemsoilsandrecommendation
of Integrated Nutrient Management
are expected to benefit farmers.
Agri Clinic Business Activities
Apart from General Consultancy and
'8 Financing Agriculture - A National Journal of Agriculture & Rural Development
also avail financial assistance for Clinic is an excellent
March-April

income
2009

Soil Testing Services under Agri-

Clinic, Farm graduates could also micro enterprises under Prime generating option over mediocrity
undertakebusiness activities in many Minister Employment Generation salary.
areas namely seed production and Progemmeand for SmallandMedium
Agri preneurs are expected to
processing, Food Production enterprises under individual bank
schemes. acquire the experience of social,
Outsourcing, Food Park, Future
cultural, production and consumption
Trading, Commodity Trading, Rural Generate More Agri-preneurs conditions in the major markets of the
Warehousing, Agri Theatre, Agri world.
News Magazine, Agri Expon Zone, The role of Farm professionals are
Farmers Call Centre Etc. commendable under Agri-Clinic. The whole successof the Agri-Clinic
Unfortunately there are only 207 and Agri Business venture depends
Agri Clinic Partnership Activities Agricultural Colleges in our country
on blending innovation, tradition and
Under partnership with Private enrolling 10049 Under Graduate dynamison of Indian Agriculture.
Sector, Public Sector and Other students, 5170 Post Graduate
The leadershipof Agri-Clinic should
Organizations,theycanalsoundertake students and 1544 PhD students
be towards caring the uncared
mobile seed treatment, mobile rural every year and thereby generating farmers. The Indian Farm
retail, contract farming, forest insufficient professionals for serving
professionalsare expectedto shoulder
initiative, business correspondent, about 5.99 lakh villages with about
this important farmers confidence
business facilitator, micro credit 750 million of Indian population.
buildinginitiativeonlyas a choiceand
agency, farmers participatory Farmers' Security Packages not as a chance by fmancial assistance.
education, extension, training and
research activities, Farmers Field Thus Farm professionals are also The greatest expected out come of
School, Farmers Study tour etc. expected to offer holistic security the Agri-Clinic are (1) Effective
packages for farmers namely Social Transfer of Technologies and (2)
Financing Agri Clinics
Security, Infrastructure Security, Increased Farm Output.
Agricultural professionals are Technology Security, Livelihood Agricultural Education Institutes are
financially assisted under Central Security, Financial Security, Food
also required to offer dual degree of
Sector Scheme jointly implemented by Security and Health and environment
NIAEM and NABARD and also under Agri Business Management and
Security.
Entrepreneurial Development
National Agricultural Department Agri Preneurs Leadership Choice Programme for stundents opting to
Programme being implemented
For Agri preneurs, lucrative business become Agri preneurs by choice.
through State Development of
Agriculture and State Agricultural
Universities.The Farm graduatescan
opportunities are more and at the same
time challenges are also severe. Agri- .

'In a speech in April1967, MartinLuther Kingcalled the US to

shiftfrom'a thing-orientedsociety to a person-oriented society'.
It is a message that resonates with today's challenges.
John Beddington,
Chief ScientificAdviser to the UKGovernment