National Institute of Agricultural Extension

Management
(An organization of Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India)
Rajendranagar, Hyderabad – 500 030, A.P., India
 X Plan Scheme
“Support to State Extension
Programmes for Extension
Reforms”
The need for reforms in Agricultural
Extension has been explicitly raised in the -

• National Agricultural Policy

• The report of Expenditure Reforms
Commission
• The Tenth Plan Approach Paper
 The five major guiding elements
of the Policy Framework

• Reforming public sector extension

• Promoting private sector
• Augmenting media & information technology
• Mainstreaming gender
• Capacity building
World Bank funded National Agriculture
Technology Project (NATP) - Pilot testing of
the Reforms

• Funded by World Bank

• NATP has been pilot tested under innovations in

Technology Dissemination (ITD) in seven states -

 Andhra Pradesh,
 Bihar
 Himachal Pradesh
 Jharkhand
 Maharashtra
 Orissa
 Punjab
Indian Institute of Management (IIM),
Lucknow reveal that the ATMA’s extension
approaches have been proving to be very
promising in execution of the reforms.
 New Schemes of Extension Division of the
Dept. of Agriculture and Cooperation
Felt the need for -
• Radical overhaul of extension services
• Improvements in sophistication of technology
dissemination methodologies
• Extension services to meet the special needs of farmers
New Schemes :
• Support to state extension programs for extension reforms
• Mass Media Support to Agricultural Extension
• Agri-clinics / Agri-business centers
• Establishment of kisan call centers
 Scheme
Support to State Extension Programs
for Extension Reforms

• All the States and Development Districts will be

covered
• Extension work plans will be prepared by States
• Funds will be provided to States / UTs for
undertaking reforms
 Key reforms being promoted
under this Scheme

• New institutional arrangements – Decentralized

decision making
• Convergence of line departments – gap filling
mode
• Multi agency extension strategies – encourage
private sector (minimum 10% allocation)
• Broad-based extension delivery (FSA)
• Group approach to extension – FOs & FIGs
• Gender concerns-Minimum 30% allocation
• Sustainability of extension services – Minimum
10% beneficiary contribution
• Bottom-up planning
 Project Implementation

• Extension Work Plans to be prepared within

the Frame Work of PFAE
• Cafeteria of reform oriented activities
• States shall propose new institutional
arrangements similar to ATMA
 State Agricultural Management and
Extension Training Institute
(SAMETI)

• State Agricultural Management &

Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) -
Will provide HRD support in innovative
areas of extension delivery
 Selection of ‘SAMETI’

• State level training institute either in the

Department of Agriculture / line
departments.

• State Agriculture Universities (SAUs)

 New institutional arrangement –
Agricultural Technology Management Agency
(ATMA)
• ATMA has the main responsibility of all the technology
dissemination activities at the district level
• Governing board
• Management Committee
• Block Technology Team (BTT)
• Farmer Advisory Committee
• Commodity oriented Farmer Interest Groups

To make technology generation / dissemination

farmer-driven and farmer-accountable

Contd..
 Organizational Structure of Agricultural Technology
Management Agency (ATMA)
Agricultural Technology
Management Agency
(ATMA)
District F W
Governing Board O
U (GB)
N R
ATMA
D Management K
Committee (AMC)

F P
Block Farm Information & Advisory Centres (FIAC)
L Block Technology Farmers’ Advisory L

O Team (BTT) Committee (FAC) A

W N
Public Private NGO Para Input
Village

Commodity Interest Groups (CIGs) Link

 Agricultural Technology
Management Agency
(ATMA)

• ATMA is a decentralized and demand driven

extension mechanism operating on the
comparative strength of different stakeholders
Strategic Research & Extension Plan (SREP)

• ATMA to facilitate the preparation of Strategic

Research & Extension Plan (SREP)
• Participatory Methodologies are used
• Involving all the stakeholders & farmers
Analysis of -
• Existing farming systems
• Research – extension gaps
• Prioritizes the research – extension strategies
• Basis for development of work plans at block /
district level
 Policy Parameters Governing the Cafeteria

• Multi-agency extension strategies

• Farming Systems Approach
• Farmer centric extension services
• Convergence
• Mainstreaming gender concern
• Sustainability of extension services

• No Manpower
 CAFETERIA-STATE LEVEL ACTIVITIES

 Support to IDWG
 Support to State Level Training Institute
(SAMETI)
 Training to extension functionaries
 Exposure visits of extension functionaries
 State level Exhibitions etc.
 Third Party Monitoring & Evaluation
 Review Workshops (six monthly)
 Rewards and Incentives to best ATMA district
 CAFETERIA-DISTRICT LEVEL ACTIVITIES

 Categories and cost ceilings,

Farmer oriented activities - 45 %

Farm Information dissemination - 20 %
R-E-F Linkages - 15 %
Administrative expenses/ - 20 %
Capital Costs
 Funds from other three categories could be diverted to
‘Farmer Oriented Activities’
 CAFETERIA-DISTRICT LEVEL ACTIVITIES
FARMER ORIENTED ACTIVITIES

 SREP Development
 Promoting farmer groups (including revolving fund)
 Training of farmers
 Demonstrations
 Exposure visits of farmers
 Rewards and Incentives
 CAFETERIA – DISTRICT LEVEL ACTIVITIES
FARM INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

 District level exhibition, Kisan Melas etc.

 Use of local print media
 Use of IT
 CAFETERIA – DISTRICT LEVEL ACTIVITIES
R-E-F LINKAGES

 Farmer Scientist Interaction – District level

 Field days and Kisan Goshties – Block level
 Refinement etc. of frontline technologies – KVKs / ZRSs
 CAFETERIA – DISTRICT LEVEL ACTIVITIES
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT/CAPITAL COSTS

 Establishment of ATMA like institutions

•TA/DA
•Other operational expenses/workshops
•Hiring of vehicles
•Limited support for equipment and civil works
 Establishment of FIACs on pilot basis
 STATE EXTENSION WORK PLAN (SEWP)

(i) Annual proposal of extension, activities and

investments as per Scheme norms.
(ii) Details other extension activities of the Centre / State.
(iii) Gap filling mode.
(iv) Consolidates District Plans etc. ( consistent with
Article 243ZD)
(v) Encourages prioritization
 FUND FLOW MECHANISM

 Central and State – 90 : 10

 10% includes beneficiary / private sector contribution
 Total Rs 226.07 crore
 Distribution:
 77.53% for Districts
 10.25% for States
 12.22% for innovative activities
 Prioritization is necessary
 Through State Level autonomous body.
 Phasing of Activities

• The resources for preparation of SREP and SEWP

documents shall be released in the first year
along with resources needed for capacity building and
infrastructure support at district and State levels.

• Resources meant for infrastructure support shall be

released keeping in mind the infrastructure available
with the concerned institutions.

• Necessary flexibility will be observed in release of

funds with a view to promote speedy implementation
of the scheme.
 Schedule of Release of Funds

• Two instalments in a year

• Release of second installment would depend upon

furnishing of UCs, release of corresponding State’s
share against funds released earlier by the Center.

• The permissible carry over of unspent balance

would be 25% of the annual allocation.

• Funds will be released to States preferably through an

autonomous Institution identified by the States
concerned, e.g., SAMETI
 Monitoring & Evaluation of SEWPs

At District level -
• ATMA Governing Board, at periodic intervals.
At State level -
• Inter Departmental Working Group (IDWG) functioning
under Chairmanship of APC or Secretary (Agriculture)
of the state.
• The monitoring mechanisms shall include quarterly
reports, field inspections, workshops, etc.
At Central level -
• DAC will organize concurrent Monitoring and
Evaluation, including impact evaluation, as needed as
part of its scheme “Extension Support to Central
Institutions”.
 Important additional guidelines for
implementation of the Scheme

• KVK should be an active partner to operationalize

the ATMA model.
• Ensure that research priorities of KVK are fully
aligned with and sensitive to SREPs at the
District level.
• Macro Management programmes and
Centre/State sponsored schemes for agriculture
and allied sectors should be integrated with the
activities of ATMA.
• Base line surveys should be undertaken in each
ATMA District against which the scheme impact
should be evaluated at the end of X Plan.
Baseline survey should be made an integral part
of SREP process.
• States may consider associating Panchayat Raj
Institutions at all levels of institutional
framework under the Scheme.
• Secretary of Department of Panchayat Raj of
the State Government should be included as a
member of IDWG
• ATMA should propagate only economically viable
and proven technologies since it aims to help
resource poor families.
• ATMA should be part of an integrated extension
system consisting of farm schools in the field of
farmers, KVKs, agri-clinics and agri-business
centres.
• The ultimate aim of ATMA should be to make
small farmers credit worthy (without collateral).