Transforming Agriculture Extension - Public Sector Reforms in Agriculture Extension in India

7/31/2019 Transforming Agriculture Extension - Public Sector Reforms in Agriculture Extension in India

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Transforming Agriculture Extension

Public Sector Reforms in Agriculture Extension in India

The overall well-being of nearly two-third1 of Indian population is linked to the

performance of the agricultural sector as main livelihood provider and its ability to

cope with the challenges resulting from rising population pressure, increased pressures

on production factors and production uncertainty in changing climate. In the recent

survey2, 40% of Indias farmers wanted to leave agriculture if given an alternative.

Evidences suggest that investments in extension have the potential to improve

agricultural productivity and thus enhance farmers income and impact poverty

(Anderson & Feder, 2004). The World Development Reports (2007) emphasis onrenewed interest in agriculture extension to revive agriculture and reduce persistent

rural poverty is widely recognised.

This paper begins with examining status of agriculture extension in declining

agriculture share in aggregate terms, followed by Indias public sector reforms to

improve agriculture extension in context of training and visits (T&V) model. The

subsequent sections deal with the reasons of failure of the model. The paper also

highlights shortfalls in policy framework on extension and describes various strategies

to meet supply-side improvements and various methods of delivery to makeextension demand-driven. The paper concludes that transferring technological

innovations from research to fields is a huge challenge and success requires various

stakeholders active participation primarily of farmers.

Although India has been experiencing unprecedented high economic growth rate, but

a weak, ineffective and inefficient extension system constrained agricultural-sector

growth. The share of agriculture in aggregate income contracted from 31% (1993) to

19% (200305).

The 59th round of the Farmers Situation Assessment Survey carried out by the

National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO, 2003)3 revealed access and quality

related gaps in agricultural extension. More than half of the surveyed farmers had no

access to any information source, only 6% accessed a government extension worker

and less than 1% accessed either NGO or private sector extension providers. The

quality of the information received was perceived as satisfactory, but only 60%

1

Ag-census of India2 NSSO survey of 20053

Sample size 51770 HH in 6638 villages


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actually tried extension recommended technologies. Due to low coverage by

extension agents, the technology diffusion relies on information from progressive

farmers to other farmers. However, the low percentage (6%) of farmers accessing

government extension workers indicates to the problem of widespread absenteeism.

It was highlighted in the study that extension services were not demand-driven rather

supply-driven. Private sector participation in extension has increased because of

growing exports and quality considerations, but the role of public-private partnerships

has made little progress. Insufficient recruitment has reduced the number of public

sector extension personnel resulting remote areas poorly served. Technology

dissemination has apparently remained the major goal of public sector extension but

evaluation systems still focus on indicators like number of trainings conducted rather

than performance assessments and impact evaluations.

Indian agricultural-sector reforms have focussed on creating a demand-driven and

accountable extension system. A range of demand-side measures are employed to

enable service users in articulating their needs and holding providers accountable and

on the supply-side to effectively and efficiently meet farmers needs.

The Training and Visit (T&V) system was promoted by the World Bank and launched

in 1977 in India. The main objectives of the T&V system were (PEO, 1982)

To disseminate recommended agricultural practices and information aboutadvances made in agricultural technology to the farmers

To learn more about the major problems relating to pests and diseases of the localcrops, difficulties of the farmers in getting supplies of inputs etc.

The model emphasized the role of the State to facilitate transfer of extension

recommendations from research institutions to farmers and receive feedback on

usefulness of new methods and practices. The strategy of agricultural development

was centrally planned and recommended practices were communicated to the

responsible officers at the divisional, district and sub-divisional levels. Village Level

Workers (VLW) was the main functionary of the system. VLW was expected to visit 8

to 10 villages under his/her jurisdiction, learn problems of farmers and refer it to

agricultural research stations through senior officers. The responsibility to disseminate

knowledge rested with 8-10 contact farmers per village selected by VLW. VLWs were

to be trained and supervised by the Agricultural Extension officers (AEOs) and Subject

Matter Specialist (SMS) at the sub-divisional level. The major findings of The

Programme Evaluation Organisation (PEO, 1982), indicates towards potential reasons

of failure.


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The recruitment of SMS was not adequately done thus there was lack ofcompetent staff to extend technical supervision to VLW. A fair number of VLW did

not receive any training. The pay scales of SMS were kept too low to motivate

them. On top of it, VLW and SMS were assigned a large area to reach out which

was too big to serve effectively. Further, reach-out to farmers was affected due tolack of transport support and poor connectivity.

Extension process was inadequately monitored as senior officers were irregularvisitors to their concerned villages and spent insufficient time even if they visited

villages. The coordination committees formed to take stock and steer the

extension did not meet regularly and hence problems identified could not be

adequately addressed.

There was shortfall in expenditure reported year after year because of proceduraldelays in sanction and release of funds to the State Governments. Lack of

supportive policy to decrease cost of inputs, unavailability of inputs and irrigationfacilities further affected the adoption of extension knowledge reflecting poorly on

the performance of T&V.

The T&V model failed due to implementation problems like delayed sanction of

funds, lack of qualified staff, staff deployed for work outside T&V work, improper

selection of contact farmers, less attention by contact farmers in educating non-

contact farmers, excessive area jurisdiction to workers, insufficient arrangements for

conveyance and difficulties in getting recommended farm inputs. The model also had

structural (organizational, financial, and institutional) limitations, one-way

communication system and a one-size-fits-all research and extension approach based

on the agro-climatic conditions of irrigated areas. The T&V system was not well suited

to the diverse farming system of rain-fed areas and proved incapable of meeting the

challenges of the postGreen Revolution period, including improving the

sustainability of farming systems, promoting agricultural diversification and integrating

farmers into dynamic markets (Anderson & Birner, 2007).

National Framework on Agricultural Extension envisages facilitating and enabling rolefor the state in overcoming market failures and emphasizes pluralistic agricultural

extension with promotion of demand-driven and farmer-accountable extension (GOI,

2000). It serves as the basis for extension and guides government support to the states

in their extension reform efforts. The thrust areas are:

Reforming Public Sector Extension Promoting private sector to effectively complement, supplement and wherever

possible to substitute public extension

Augmenting Media and Information Technology Support for Extension Mainstreaming Gender Concerns in Extension


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Capacity Building/ Skill up-gradation of farmers and extension functionaries

Although Framework captures many aspects, however, there is inadequate provision

for socio-economically disadvantaged groups to participate in FBOs. The Framework

proposes to mainstream women by increasing access to services, but, there is

insufficient attention to strengthen womens ability to demand extension services. It

does not explicitly mention how to meet challenges inherent in reforming public

sector extension agencies and creating incentives for the public sector staff to serve

remote areas. The Framework includes reforms elements like contracting and

competitive grants, but little empirical evidence exists to show the circumstances

under which these approaches improve extension services. The omission of the need

to tailor context specific solutions is surprising given the size and diversity of India

(Anderson & Birner, 2007).

State failures in agricultural extension occur because of problems related to

information, incentives, capacity, financial sustainability, political will, bureaucratic

procedures and attitudes. The Strategies to make public sector extension more

responsive to farmers demands include decentralization, increased autonomy of

extension agencies, contracting extension services, mass media and internet-based

extension through village kiosks, agri-clinics and joint public-private efforts.

Agricultural Technology Management Agency

(ATMA) is a district level autonomous body registered as society, representing various

stakeholders including farmers in planning, implementation and piloting agricultural

extension reforms. It has the flexibility to receive funds directly from Government or

raise through membership fees, beneficiaries contribution etc (GOI, 2010). ATMA

delivers technology dissemination through multi-agency extension strategy at the

district level linking with all the line departments, NGOs, FBOs, Panchayati Raj

Institutions (PRIs), para-extension workers, agri-entrepreneurs, input suppliers and

corporate sector. The autonomous status provides discretionary power over

operation and budgets thus overcoming limitations of centralised bureaucratic

structures. It has provided increased flexibility to extension workers to respond on

identified farmers needs rather extending targets driven and centrally planned

services. However, the affectivity of it remains to be seen in future.

The extension planning and research has

been centrally decided and top-down in the past ignoring importance to integrate

local knowledge and need based extension. ATMA is mandated to carry out local

research and set extension priorities through Strategic Research and Extension Plans(SREPs) which are developed through consultations with farmers. The SREP as a


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document reflects detailed farming systems in the district and research extension

gaps to be sorted. It feeds in District Agriculture Action Plans (DAAPs) and further at

state level into the State Extension Work Plan (SEWP). Though decentralization has

inherent merit of bottom-up planning and monitoring at local level but if funding

responsibilities are transferred at local level, extension may suffer sustained supply of

resources (Raabe, 2007).

Indias large number farmers are geographically

scattered practising agriculture in different soils, climatic zones thus having varied

extension needs. Dispersed nature also makes it difficult to move from delivery of

standardized messages to demand-driven advice. The large set-up of extension

organization to manage large pool of extension workers has likelihood to maintain

top-down bureaucratic management. Managers find it difficult to supervise and

monitor extension agents because of agriculture being geographically disperse.

Although there is limited room for articulation of farmers demands but high

penetration of mobile and radio technology in rural India provides potential solution

to lack of staff for face-to-face extension and poor road transport (Ban & Sulaiman,

2000). Internet based E-Choupals promoted by Indian Tobacco Corporation (ITC)

has successfully delivered information on prices and inputs in Rajasthan.

As agriculture outcome is impacted by several

factors other than extension, so, it is measured at output level which is generally

related to meetings conducted by extension staff, area under new technology etc. Ittakes away critical assessment opportunity of extension thus staff cannot be held

accountable for quality issues. Same is the case of whole chain of responsibility where

the performance of senior officer is judged on indicators other than quality of

extension. There are not many incentives for extension agents to deliver quality

extension as Indian public extension budgets do not keep pace with inflation and

general improvements in standards of living, which hamper possibilities to use a

differentiated salary incentives system of promotion. Extension agents often have a

lower status than many other public sector employees and a lower rank in the civil

service system, which affect their morale (Raabe, 2007). There is lack of motivation toinvest in the capacity of extension staff to keep their knowledge updated hence

inducing performance based incentive does not necessarily lead problem solving.

Merit-based recruitment and promotion has potential solution for problem of weak

incentives. The performance contracts, managing for results approaches, seeking

feedback through client satisfaction surveys, establishing professional standards and

mission-oriented service are other strategies. A mechanism widely used in agricultural

research, but less so in agricultural extension, is the competitive grant. An important

strategy to improve both financial sustainability and demand orientation is costrecovery. Paying a fee may increases farmers incentive to hold extension providers


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accountable, but it is not necessarily a mechanism that makes extension providers

accountable to farmers.

Due to higher political influence, large-scale farmers often

receive more attention from the public administration than smallholders as politicians

too have latent motives to serve large-scale farmers by addressing issues that are more

relevant to them. Thus, in spite of being majority, small and marginal farmers remain

unattended. It is likely that extension workers may be employed outside their job

specifications for political purposes such as campaigning for the ruling parties in

elections or supply of subsidized inputs and implementing credit schemes. At one

hand it takes away time and energy of extension workers and at another provides

opportunity for corruption. Increased autonomy for extension agencies can be an

important approach to reducing political interest capture and limiting opportunities to

burden extension agents with tasks outside their mandate.

The participatory methods toco-develop technology and the Farmers Field School approach create more space to

tailor extension as per the demands of farmers (Raabe, 2007). The technical

competence alone is not enough rather extension agents need diverse skills of need

assessment, group formation, conflict resolution, mobilisation, data collection, analysis

and documentation for effective extension. Insensitive extension staff discourages

participation by treating farmers badly particularly poor, female, socially excluded

farmers. In order to meet capacity needs of extension staff, training courses should

attend technical as well as social skills deficit.

Allocation of operating expenses in State

Departments of Agriculture is around 15% whereas a fully functional extension system

should have 30-35% of its total expenses as operational. As cost recovery is not

pursued, so. Model remains financially non-sustainability. After donor-funded

programs end, extension agencies are often left with an increased number of agents.

Because staff numbers are difficult to reduce in public sector agencies, budget

reductions limit the resources available to extension agents to do their jobs effectively.

Moreover, agents lack adequate operational funds to commute and organize

trainings. In case of private sector extension, agents are either paid by the farmers orcompanies provide extension services with the sale of their inputs and purchase of

outputs. However, this kind of service may not necessarily cover all knowledge

demands of farmers as being limited to the products purchased and sold. Farmers not

demanding extension can be attributed to lack of good extension examples,

unawareness about benefits of extension, free of charge government extension which

crowd out private extension providers. ATMAs mandate of raising 10%

contribution from beneficiaries is a positive incentive for private players to pitch-in.

Contracting through competitive bids is an encouraging step by government in

extension provision which is perceived as huge market looking at the size ofpopulation involved in agriculture. However, it involves considerable challenges, as it


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brings with the problems inherent in procurement, regulation of private sector and

corruption. Being often unorganized and dispersed with limited access to

transportation infrastructure, the transaction costs of providing extension services is

high and discourages private sector from investing in extension (Anderson & Picciotto,

1997). For private sector, extension is subject to economies of scale as providingextension may only be profitable if they can reach a sufficiently large number of

farmers. ATMAs focus on organising farmers in cooperatives, producer companies

and other groups which can better participate in extension receiving than individual

farmers, lessen the cost and provide organisation power to farmers to demand and

monitor extension. Strategies to strengthen FBOs have potential in making extension

demand-driven and accountable.

D. -

The renewed interest in extension is linked to the rediscovery of potential thatagriculture has in reducing persistent rural poverty (World Bank, 2007). Agriculture

extension faces the challenge of establishing a well-managed, effective, and

accountable system that meets the needs of millions of farmers engaged in diverse and

complex farming systems.

After phasing out T&V, Indian public sector concentrated on strengthening supply and

demand side aspects of extension services to meet diverse demands of more than 600

million farmers. Supply-side reforms include the administrative and fiscal

decentralization, improved public expenditure management, training programs forpublic officials, creating autonomous bodies with outsourcing of service provision to

private and third sectors. Demand-side reforms involve the use of participatory

extension approaches, organising farmers in groups and capacity training of farmers to

express their demands. Recent reform trends emphasize the need for the state to play

a coordinating and facilitating role and to create an enabling environment for the

private and third sectors. Policy Framework on Extension should reflect on how to

make extension inclusive and challenges in reforming public services. ATMA, an

autonomous extension body, is created to plan and implement extension differently.

However, it remains to be seen how successfully it meets vast extension needs infuture.

Extension impacts knowledge level which plays a crucial role in success of a farmer as

real prices of agricultural products are falling and knowledge makes it possible to

produce more with fewer inputs. It is likely that private sector would get involved

extension but the public sector will continue to be the major extension provider and

funder. The overall goal of improving farmers lives through agricultural improvement

requires coordinated effort from all stakeholders and internal reforms the public

system undergoes to deliver effective and efficient extension.


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Anderson, R. J. and Birner, R. (2007) How To Make Agriculture ExtensionDemand-Driven? The Case of Indias Extension Policy, International Food Policy

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Transforming Agriculture Extension - Public Sector Reforms in Agriculture Extension in India