Convergence between Agricultural Research and Extension
In order to enable the farmers to draw the full benefit of the scientific and other manpower available within the State, the following decisions have been taken:-
Besides regular participation in ATMA GB & Management Committee, the Programme Coordinators of the KVKs in the District should have an interface meeting with the Project Director, ATMA once a month during the cropping season and work out a strategy of providing crop advisories to farmers for various stages of crop growth. Scientists available in the KVKs will advise and mentor Block Technology Teams in identifying technological needs in various Blocks in the District and programmatic interventions to meet such needs.
In addition, either SAU or KVK/Agriculture Research Institute have to designate an expert who would be in-charge of one District to provide instant guidance to extension functionaries in the District with support provided under ATMA @ Rs. 24000 per year as an incentive/for meeting out his communication charges. (This para is under revision and would be communicated later.)
Comprehensive District Agriculture Plan (CDAP) or District Agriculture Action Plan (DAAP) under ATMA developed on the basis of the Strategic Research and Extension Plan (SREP) should be refined in the process jointly by ATMA and KVKs from the Block level and acted upon for the purpose.
- Project Director ATMA and Programme Coordinator of KVK should jointly visit at least five villages every month in the District to guide and supervise the extension related work assigned to scientists and the extension officers, including BTM & SMSs supported under ATMA. At the end of the month, a joint progress report will be submitted by the Project Director, ATMA and Programme Coordinator of KVK, to the Secretary (Agriculture)/Director (Agriculture) of the State and the SAU.
- In consultation with the Secretary (Agriculture) of the State, the Vice Chancellor(s) of the University(ies) will allocate districts to specific scientists in the SAU, who would interact again with the ATMA and KVK of the assigned districts and provide technological inputs to the farmers through this mechanism.
- Every month, both for (a) and (b) above, the minimum number of villages to be visited by the ATMA and KVK personnel and the minimum number of field visits by SAU scientists shall be fixed by the Vice Chancellor of the State Agriculture University in consultation with the Secretary (Agriculture)/Agriculture Production Commissioner. Thorough review of the feedback from the field visits should be taken in the next monthly meeting for taking immediate corrective action.
- Quarterly meetings should be organized by the Vice Chancellor of the University in which an interface would take place between the KVKs, District Agriculture Officers, Project Director ATMA and the scientists of the SAUs and the action taken will be reported to Secretary (Agriculture) or Agriculture Production Commissioner as the case may be. The Vice Chancellor of the University will also give a brief summary of the quarterly activities and progress to DG, ICAR.
- ATMA and KVK should coordinate with each other in the conduct of Field Days, Kisan Melas, Goshties and setting up of Farm Schools, so that there is no duplication in coverage and they should ensure percolation of appropriate scientific practices down to the field level.
- ATMA Management Committee having Programme Coordinator, KVK as its member may review the progress of technology application - related activities funded by Besides this, the KVK may also provide an Agricultural Technology Update (ATU) on half yearly basis i.e. before the start of Kharif and Rabi crop seasons to the ATMA for its wider dissemination among the farmers of the district.
- Funds for KVK activities under ATMA programme will be released directly to KVKs under intimation to respective controlling authorities i.e. Director Extension Education(DEE) & Comptroller and Directors of ICAR Institute in case of KVKs run by Universities and ICAR institutes respectively. For the KVKs run by NGOs, funds will be released directly to KVKs under intimation to Zonal Project Directors of the zone concerned. Utilisation Certificates for the funds released by ATMA will be provided by the KVKs only. However, the respective host organisations and monitoring authorities (i.e. Universities, ICAR institutes and Zonal Project Directors) will continue to supervise all activities of KVKs including the ones related to ATMA.
- The long term researchable issues may be documented, agro-climatic zone-wise with the involvement of Zonal Agricultural Research Stations (ZARS). These issues will be formally communicated to the concerned ZARS through the respective SAUs with the approval of the Inter- Departmental Working Group (IDWG). The IDWG having Vice-Chancellor/s of SAUs as well as Director(s) of ICAR institutes in the State as its members will review the progress of research work taken up by the ZARSs on such issues.
- KVKs will provide advice to ATMA and the District Administration for the implementation of Flagship programmes of the DAC namely – NFSM, NHM, RKVY, NAIS etc. The KVK Scientists will technically advise the Block Technology Teams (BTTs) and will also be actively involved in preparation of Block Action Plans (BAPs), especially with regard to research related issues/gaps and strategies. Regular participation of a KVK scientist in the meetings of Block Technology Teams will be ensured at least once in a The participating scientist will also take feedback for his colleagues in the KVK in respect of their respective areas of expertise.
- In case of escalated queries in Kisan Call Centres, KVKs will give requisite technical inputs to district level officials as per the requirements of Kisan Knowledge Management System.
- Successful and innovative models of convergence between SAUs and Development Departments of the State in Agriculture and Allied Sectors (eg: District Agriculture Technology Transfer Centres of Andhra Pradesh) need to be developed and replicated in all the states.
- All steps as laid down in the Guidelines for Modified ATMA Scheme Guidelines, 2014 to ensure better convergence between research and extension will be taken.
- Zonal Project Directors, State Agriculture Commissioners / Directors and directors (Extension) of the SAUs concerned shall together take a quarterly with KVKs and ATMAs.
- Interface meetings between PD, ATMA and PC, KVK should alternately take place in these two offices. However, PC, KVK should invariably attend ATMA GB and MC meetings.
** Additional requirement of TA/DA, etc. will be met by the respective Departments from their own budgetary allocations. However, funds available under ATMA Cafeteria for Research-Extension-Farmer linkages may also be appropriately utilized.
Senior officials from DAC and DARE/ ICAR would be visiting the States from time to time to review the progress in getting better coordination and interface between the scientific community and the State agriculture machinery on the one hand and the farmers on the other.
