EXTENSION REFORMS IN BIHAR: AN EMERGING SUCCESS STORY

Dr.K.M.Singh,Director, SAMETI, Bihar

Bihar At a Glance

Sl. No.

Indicators State National

1. Share of Agriculture in GDP 39.0 24.3

2. Rural Population (%) 89.5 72.2

3. Work force participation rate (%)

77.3 63.9

4. Population Density (Persons/Sq. Km.)

880 324

CONSTRAINTS FACED BY BIHAR

Low productivity of Crops in Bihar Low level of Input Use Low level of Consumption of Electricity (MKWH) Low level of Procurement of Foodgrains Low level of Credit disbursement to agricultural sector Areas having potential for further development:

Tal Land : 1.00 Lakh hect. Diara Land : 11.00 Lakh hect. Chaur Land : 4.50 Lakh hect. Saline & Alkaline Land : 2.00 Lakh hect.

Recurrent Droughts & Floods Poor Technology Transfer infrastructure

Government of Bihar’s commitment to replicate ATMA in all districts in Bihar

To do this the major issues are:Adopting farming system approach.Marketing linkages for agricultural products.Convergence between agriculture and other line

departments.Bottom – up planning and including farmers in

devising the plans for their development. Assessment and promotion of new

interventions / crops for benefit to farming community.

Public – Private partnership in agriculture extension.

Extension Reforms being promoted by the Govt. of Bihar

Establishment of ATMAs in all the 38 districts of the state :15 under the Centrally sponsored programme.23 under the State sponsored programme.

ATMA to the implementing agency for programmes like NHM, Micro irrigation scheme, Watershed development programme.

Department of Agriculture is being reorganized and restructured under New Agricultural Policy for the state, with emphasis on: Optimum utilization of existing resources, Demand driven, market led extension, Intensification with diversification strategies to

maximize the returns for the farming community.

Extension Reforms (contd.)

Under the new policy ATMAs are to play a very important role for ensuring convergence of different programmes within and outside the Department of Agriculture.

A new innovative scheme to be implemented by ATMAs in the state is “Kisan Sammaan Yojana” under which the innovative farmers and outstanding performers in the field of agriculture would be rewarded every year. The ATMA Governing Boards would receive the nominations and recommend to the state govt. for the award

Implementation of ATMA Prog.

ATMAs has been registered in: In 4 districts namely, Madhubani, Munger, Muzaffarpur

and Patna under NATP In 11 new districts namely Bhojpur, Gaya, Vaishali,

Saran, West Champaran, Saharsa, Purnea, Katihar, Begusarai, Rohtas and Bhagalpur under the Centrally sponsored “Support to State Programmes for Extension Reforms”.

The SREPs of 11 new districts is complete and vetted by MANAGE Facilitators.

The IDWG has approved the SEWP for 2006-07 on 17th Jan 2007 and the work has started in right earnest in cooperation with all line departments.

Implementation of ATMA Prog.

State has sanctioned new positions under ATMA for the project period and also provided budgetary support through plan funds under the scheme “Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms”.

The details are as follows:Project DirectorDeputy Project DirectorAccountantComputer OperatorSteno-cum-ClerkDriver (only where govt. vehicles are available)Peon-cum-Chaukidar

Implementation of ATMA Prog.

All these positions are being filled through open competition by advertising in the leading newspapers.

PDs are being selected from the officers of the govt. departments, SAU or from the pool of retired but active scientists and officers.

The DPDs are being selected from the pool of agricultural graduates trained by MANAGE, Hyderabad under Govt. of India, scheme of Agri-clinics & Agri-business.

World Bank attributes the success of ATMA Model of agricultural development, to:

Autonomy, financial flexibility and direct funding. Better coordination, Convergence, pooling of resources and

integrated delivery of demand driven extension.Priority settings through the farmers involvement (SREP , GB

and FIAC).Strong Research-Extension-Farmer-Market (R-E-F-M) Linkage.ATMA an effective platform for Public-Private-Partnership. Strategic Research and Extension Plan has emerged as an

effective tool for bottom-up planning and Governmental programmes are now being structured as per the research and extension priorities emerging in the SREP

Capacity building through need-based trainings, exposure visits, demonstrations, etc.

The report advocates greater financial support both from central govt. in form of salaries and autonomy to the ATMAs in their day to day functioning

Innovations in Bihar Agriculture

Small Farmers’ Agri-business Consortium (SFAC) established in the state.

Vegetable Federation formed with Rs. 3.53 Crores has been sanction for the establishment of Vegetable Federation in the State.

Aromatic Plants and Medicinal Growers Federation formed. Horticulture Producers Federation formed in the state. Krishak Salahkaar Yojana being implemented in 8471

Panchayat of 38 district. Agriculture graduates/ progressive farmers preferred for

Salahkaar (Private Extension Workers). Fee to be charged by these Salahkaar for their services to

farmers.

Innovations in Bihar Agriculture SAMETI, Bihar identified as a nodal agency for Training

and Capacity Building of Departmental Officers, farmers and other stakeholders and is being strengthened appropriately.

It is proposed to make DAESI programme mandatory for all input dealers in a phased manner.

Bihar is the 1st State in the country to establish ATMA in every district of the state.

Bihar is also the 1st state in India to create posts from its own budget for the Xth Plan period under ATMA which is likely to continue during the XIth Plan as well.

In Bihar, ATMAs are being promoted as Single Window delivery point for Technology and many schemes are now being routed through ATMA, e.g. Micro Irrigation Scheme, National Horticulture Mission and Kisan Samman Yojana.

Some other Innovative Extension Activities in Bihar

Kisan Samman YojanaGovernment of Bihar has sanctioned a newscheme to felicitate the farmers of the State ofBihar for their contribution to the development ofthe state, the salient feature of the scheme are asfollows: Farmers of outstanding achievements in the field of

agriculture would be felicitated and honoured as: ‘Kisan Ratna’ at the state level with a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh ‘Kisan Bhushan’ at district level with a cash prize of Rs.2 lakh Kisan Shree’ at block level with a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh

Farmers will include those engaged in production, processing and marketing in the field crops, fisheries, horticulture, and animal husbandry.

These farmers will not only be assessed for their individual attainments, but also for their contribution in popularizing modern agricultural technology to fellow farmers.

Kisan Samman Yojana These successful farmers would be engaged to work as

Private Extension Workers for various extension programmes.

Innovative methods would be employed and an objective assessment will be done to identify these successful farmers for Samman Yojana.

ATMA will be the implementing agency for Kisan Samman Yojana, therefore, ATMAs are being established in all the 38 districts of the state.

Kisan Samman Yojana (KSY) will be advertised in the month of April and the assessment period will cover all the three crop seasons namely, Rabi, Kharif and Summer.

The recipients of Kisan Samman would be announced on the eve of Independence day every year by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Bihar.

The Kisan Ratna awardees would be nominated by the state government for National level Padma awards

Establishment of Farmers Technical Training School in Madhubani district, with support from

ATMA, Madhubani, BiharProcess followed: Identification of success story farmers through PRA during

SREP preparation and afterwards. Capacity building of these farmer leaders through ATMA . Promoting formation of commodity and enterprise based

farmer groups (Farmer Interest Groups) through ATMA. Linking FIGs with ATMA, Research institutions, and other

stake holders. Arranging the exposure visit of FIG members Success story farmers used as Resource Persons by

ATMA. The farmers exposed to both print and electronic media

using ATMA platform.

Farmers Technical Training School in Madhubani district

The demands from Groups, for their own training facility, established, owned, and operated by them.

FIGs decide to set up such a training and experience sharing facility with help from ATMA, Madhubani.

They identified a partner NGO of ATMA, Madhubani which had initial infrastructure and willingness to start such a venture .

The promoter of this NGO Shri Paltan Azad, who is also a FIG leader and GB Member, offered his premises and support for setting up such facility,

He allowed the use of his existing infrastructure (two rooms and toilet etc.) in Madhepura village of Pandaul block in the district.

The FIG leaders felt that the available infrastructure was inadequate to conduct trainings when the number of participants is large,

They decided to construct a large enough hut, to house at least 50-75 people for training purposes.

Farmers Technical Training School in Madhubani district

Local FIG members donated bamboo; straw and other material to build the Farmers very own School.

They also supported with voluntary labour to get it erected. The faculty for this school “Kisan Takniki Prashikshan

Mahavidyalaya” (Farmer’s Technical Training College) were designated as “Farmer Professors”.

Farmer Professors were selected from among FIG leaders trained and exposed to new and diversified technologies, and who had an interest in the concept.

Now this infrastructure and Farmer Professors are used by ATMA in its training programmes and an honorarium of Rs. 300/- per day is paid to each of them for a lecture of 2 hrs if their services are used.

Efforts are being made to conduct programmes under SGSY and other central and state sponsored capacity building programmes, in the premises of Farmer Technical Training School so that the KTPM becomes sustainable in long run.

The farmer Resource Persons have been designated as Farmer Professors and presently the centre has a strength of 9 such professors

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