AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (ATMA) DUMKA                                       JHARKHAND
ATMA - A HOUSE OF FARMERS' POWER

EXTENSION REFORMS

            The need for reforms in Agricultural Extension has been explicitly raised in the National Agriculture Policy; the report of Expenditure Reforms Commission, as well as, the Tenth Plan Approach paper.  Keeping the recommendations of these policy initiatives in view, and to provide policy directives for extension reforms, a broad Policy Framework for Agricultural Extension (PFAE) has been developed by the Ministry of Agriculture.

   The five major guiding elements of the Policy Framework are as follows:

(i)       Reforming Public Sector Extension.

(ii)       Promoting private sector to effectively complement, supplement and wherever possible to substitute public extension. 

(iii)     Augmenting Media and Information Technology Support for Extension.

(iv)     Mainstreaming Gender Concerns in Extension.

(v)       Capacity Building / Skill up-gradation of farmers and extension functionaries.

  Pilot testing of the reforms under the World Bank funded National Agriculture Technology Project (NATP):  The reforms enlisted above have been pilot tested under Innovations in Technology Dissemination (ITD) component of World Bank funded National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) with effect from November, 1998 in seven states viz. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Orissa and Punjab covering 4 districts in each State.  An autonomous institution – Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) has been established in these project districts as a registered society representing various stakeholders, including farmers, in project planning and implementation.   Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) reports of ITD component brought out by Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow reveal that the ATMAs’ extension approaches have been proving to be very promising in execution of the reforms envisaged in the Policy Framework for Agricultural Extension.

 New Schemes of Extension Division of the DAC

            The X Five Year Plan Approach Paper called for radical overhaul of extension services and significant improvements in sophistication of technology dissemination methodologies. It highlighted the need for specific measures to ensure that research technology development and extension services meet the special needs of farmers.  The PFAE and experiences under ATMA approach have also been directed towards similar strategies.  Accordingly, the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India is implementing the following schemes during the X^th Plan period:

1.            Mass Media Support to Agriculture Extension

2.            Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms.

3.            Agri-Clinics / Agri-Business Centres

4.            Establishment of Kisan Call Centres

5.            Extension Support to Central Institutions

6.            Externally Aided Projects

    The scheme “Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms” is the main scheme to operationalize agricultural extension reforms across the country.  Under the scheme funding support shall be provided to the States/UTs for undertaking extension reforms within the broad purview of the Policy Framework for Agriculture Extension (PFAE), complying with its key areas/norms, and shall be operated based on Extension Work Plans prepared by them. 

      Inter-alia, the following key reforms, in line with the PFAE are being promoted under this Scheme: 

¨      New Institutional Arrangements: Providing innovative restructured autonomous bodies at the district/ block level, which are flexible, promote bottom up and participatory approaches, are farmer driven and facilitate public- private partnership.

¨      Convergence of line departments’ programmes and operating on gap filling mode by formulating Strategic Research and Extension Plan (SREP) and Annual Work Plans.

¨      Encouraging Multi Agency Extension Strategies involving inter-alia public/ private extension service providers.

¨      Moving towards integrated, broad-based extension delivery in line with farming systems approach.

¨      Adopting Group Approach to Extension (Operating through Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs) & Self Help Groups (SHGs).

¨      Addressing gender concerns (mobilizing farm women into groups, capacity building etc.).

¨       Moving towards sustainability of extension services (e.g. through beneficiary contribution).

  Project Implementation

 Under the scheme funding shall be released to the States based on their Extension Workplans developed within the broad framework of the PFAE and areas indicated under the cafeteria of reform oriented activities. The States shall propose the new institutional arrangements, similar to ATMA, they intend to put in place in the First Work Plan, or even earlier, to be submitted by them to the DAC for approval. This agency will have the responsibility of implementing the extension reforms at district level.  

New Institutional Arrangement - Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA)

 Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) is a district level body created under the ITD component of NATP for pilot testing Agricultural extension reforms. This is as an autonomous institution with participation of all the key stakeholders involved in agricultural activities for sustainable agricultural development.  It has the flexibility to receive funds directly (Government of India/States, Membership fees, beneficiaries contribution etc). ATMA has the main responsibility of all the technology dissemination activities at the district level.  It has linkages with all the line departments, research organizations, non-governmental organizations and agencies associated with agricultural development in the district with a substantial representation of farmer organizations.  Research and extension units within the district, such as KVKs, ZRSs, Department of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Sericulture, Marketing, etc.  are constituent members.

ATMA would be supported by a Governing Board (GB) and a Management Committee (MC). Under each of the ATMA, block level Farm Information and Advisory Centres (FIACs) have been created which are operated by a Block Technology Team (BTT) of technical advisors and a Farmer Advisory Committee (FAC), a group exclusively of farmers. Commodity oriented Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs) are promoted at block/ village level to make the technology generation/dissemination farmer driven and farmer accountable. In order to provide needed HRD support in innovative areas of extension delivery, a State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) has also been established in the project states.

    The scheme provides flexibility to the states to propose institutional framework similar, and not same as ATMA of ITD-NATP, suited to its own situations while preserving the key features of ATMA. The decentralized institutional framework proposed by the states should also be consistent with Article 243 G of the Constitution. 

 Strategic Research and Extension Plan (SREP): One of the first tasks of ATMA like institutions is to facilitate the preparation of Strategic Research and Extension Plan (SREP) of the district. The SREP is prepared through participatory methodologies such as   Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) involving all the stakeholders and farmers. The SREP contains detailed analysis of all the information on existing farming systems in the district and research – extension gaps required to be filled-up.  It also prioritizes the research – extension strategies within the district. It becomes the basis for development of work plans at block/ district level.

  State Extension Work Plan (SEWP): Based on the research-extension strategies given in the SREPs, block/ district level plans shall be developed by each ATMA like institutions. The State Extension Work Plan developed at state level shall contain a consolidated activity-wise plan incorporating all the District Agriculture Action Plans (DAAPs) in the state and state level activities to be carried out with activity-wise budgetary requirement as per the norms prescribed in the cafeteria.   It will also indicate all other extension activities that may be undertaken from out of resources provided under any other scheme of the Centre/ State Governments.  The DAAPs developed under the scheme should be processed consistent with Article 243 ZD of the Constitution. 

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