National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology

About National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology

Agricultural Technology, including the adoption/ promotion of critical inputs, and improved agronomic practices were being disseminated under 17 different schemes of the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture during the 11th Plan period.
The Modified Extension Reforms Scheme was introduced in 2010 with the objective of strengthening extension machinery and utilizing it for synergizing interventions under these schemes under the umbrella of the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA).
The National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology (NMAET) has been envisaged as the next step towards this objective through the amalgamation of these schemes.
Started in 2014

Aims and objectives

The objective of the Scheme is to make the extension system farmer-driven and farmer-accountable by way of new institutional arrangements for technology dissemination. It aims to restructure and strengthen agricultural extension to enable delivery of appropriate technology and improved agronomic practices to farmers.
This is envisaged to be achieved by a judicious mix of extensive physical outreach and interactive methods of information dissemination, use of ICT, popularisation of modern and appropriate technologies, capacity building and institution strengthening to promote mechanisation, availability of quality seeds, plant protection etc. and encourage aggregation of Farmers into Interest Groups (FIGs) to form Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).

Sub Missions of NMAET

The common threads running across all 4 Sub-Missions in NMAET are Extension and Technology.
Therefore, while 4 separate Sub-Missions are being proposed for administrative convenience, these are inextricably linked to each other at the field level and most components thereof have to be disseminated among farmers and other stakeholders through a strong extension network.

About Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA)

ATMA is a society of key stakeholders involved in agricultural activities for sustainable agriculture development in the district.
It is a focal point for integrating Research and Extension activities and decentralizing day-to- day management of the public Agricultural Technology System (ATS).
It is a registered society responsible for technology dissemination at the district level.
As a whole the ATMA would be a facilitating agency rather than implementing Agency.
The funds allotted for ATMA includes Establishment of ATMA office at district headquarters, strengthening of line departments by providing infrastructural facilities, establishing FIACs .
The ATMA will not encourage any practice or program in which, the line departments were already initiated.
With the minimum budget, ATMA can introduce or demonstrate some of the programs as innovative models, which can be replicated by farmers’ organizations.

Why ATMA

The ATMA at district level would be increasingly responsible for all technology dissemination activities at the district level.
It would have linkage with all the line departments, research organizations, non-governmental organizations and agencies associated with agricultural development in the district.
Research and Extension units within the project district such as ZRS or substations, KVK and the key line departments of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture and Fisheries, Forestry etc. would become constituent members of ATMA.
Each Research-Extension (R-E) unit would retain its institutional identity and affiliation but program and procedures concerning district-wise R-E activities would be determined by ATMA Governing Board (GB) to be implemented by its Management Committee (AMC).

hat is Agriculture Extension?

Agricultural extension refers to application of scientific research and new knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education.
This includes educating the farmers towards cost effective and remunerative mechanized farming for improved productivity and sustainable farm growth.