National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology (NMAET)

The aim of the Mission is to restructure & strengthen agricultural extension to enable delivery of appropriate technology and improved agronomic practices to the farmers. This is envisaged to be achieved by a judicious mix of extensive physical outreach & 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 the aggregation of farmers into Interest Groups (FIGs) to form Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).

Sub Missions: NMAET consists of 4 Sub Missions:

1. Sub Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE)

Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension will focus on awareness creation and enhanced use of appropriate technologies in agriculture & allied sectors. Gains made in the past will be consolidated and strengthened through increased penetration of extension functionaries. Personnel trained under Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres Scheme (ACABC) and Diploma in Agriculture Extension Services for Input Dealers (DAESI) will also provide extension services to the farmers. Use of interactive and innovative methods of information dissemination like pico projectors, low cost films, handheld devices, mobile based services, Kisan Call Centres (KCCs) etc. will be used and convergence brought among extension efforts under different programmes and schemes at village level through the institution of ATMA (Agriculture Technology Management Agency) and Block Technology Teams (BTTs).

1. Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)

Adoption of quality seeds is the most cost effective means for increasing agricultural production and productivity. The interventions included in the Sub-Mission will cover the entire gamut of seed chain from nucleus seed to supply to farmers for sowing and also to the major stakeholders in the seed chain and also provide for support for infrastructure to create an enabling environment for development of the Sector. SMSP also envisages strengthening of Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) in order to put in place an effective system for protection of plant varieties, rights of farmers and plant breeders and to encourage development of new varieties of plants.

• Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)

There is a strong co-relation between farm power availability and agricultural productivity. Therefore, SubMission on Agricultural Mechanization will focus on farm mechanization. The Sub-Mission will mainly cater to the needs of the small and marginal farmers through institutional arrangements such as custom hiring, mechanization of selected villages, subsidy for procurement of machines & equipments, etc.

1. Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine (SMPP)

Sub-Mission on Plant Protection included in NMAET envisages increase in agricultural production by keeping the crop disease free using scientific and environment friendly techniques through promotion of Integrated Pest Management. Strengthening and Modernization of Pest Management Approach aims at this vital aspect of Plant Protection and also covers regulatory requirements of pesticides. The component on Strengthening & Modernization of Plant Quarantine facilities in India is regulatory in nature with the aim of preventing introduction and spread of exotic pests that are harmful to crops by regulating/restricting import of plant/plant products. Monitoring pesticide residues in food commodities and environmental samples is also included in this Sub-Mission. The component on National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM) will promote environmentally sustainable Plant Health Management practices in diverse and changing agro-climatic conditions, pesticide management, and Biosecurity through capacity building programmes. Farmers’ skill trainings and field extension as contained in all 4 Sub Missions of NMAET (Viz. SMSP, SMAE, SMAM and SMPP) will be converged with similar farmer-related activities going on through ATMA. Five-tiered modes of extension carried out in broadcast or interactive electronic modes will also cut across extension activities in all the four Sub Missions. Mutually synergetic linkages will be established among various activities instead of unilaterally mandating that all such farmer-centric activities will be carried out through ATMA.

Illustrative list of Farmer Centric Trainings & Field Extension:

SMSP	SMAE	SMAM	SMPP
Seed Village Programme	Farm Schools, Demo Plots, Trainings, Exposure Visits	Capacity Building by Institutions identified by the State Government	Pest Monitoring (including Pest Scouts), FFSs, IPM Training to Farmers

Similar training & field extension related components in other programmes of DAC and State Governments will also be implemented through ATMA. Funds earmarked for such activities under different Sub-Missions of NMAET, Missions & Schemes / Programmes will be utilized through ATMA.

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