ri lt re and ood ana ement 8.39
needs to strengthen other support systems also the incomes of farmers, especially small
related to enhancing the farm income together and marginal farmers.
with expanding the agriculture insurance in a (iii) Need of an approach which is ‘neutral to
speedy manner. input, crop and region’.
(iv) Minimizing wastage in inputs as well as
AGrIculture extensIon servIces produce, till it leaves the farm gate.
Another key input to farm sector is ‘agriculture (v) Efforts to enhance post harvest processing/
value added activities at the farm.
extension services (AES)’. These services can
improve productivity by providing timely (vi) Need to share with the farmer, information
advisory services to farmers to adopt best on weather, in order to improve yield,
practices, technology, meet with contingencies, and minimize damage to crops.
market information etc. The AES (also called (vi) Promoting inter and rotational cropping
‘rural advisory services’) has been defined47 as and efficient utilization of the inputs.
“consisting of all the different activities that (vii) Need to shift to demand-driven
provide the information and services needed and agricultural advisory services.
demanded by farmers and other actors in rural (viii) Need of a virtual connect, using IT
settings to assist them in developing their own (mobile and internet) and integration of
technical, organisational and management skills agricultural extension services.
and practices so as to improve their livelihoods Over the time, the GoI has taken variety of
and well-being”. initiatives50 to strengthen the AES in the country,
Though there are multiple agencies in India major ones being – Kisan TV set up; broadcasting
offering agricultural advisory services the system is of agri-information by AIR; Agri-Clinic & Agri-
not efficient enough due to the following reasons:48 Business (by agriculture graduates); Extension
education institutes set up; model training courses
(i) Lack of functional autonomy, for horticulture, animal husbandry, etc started;
(ii) Rigid hierarchical structures leading to National Centre for Management of Agricultural
lack of innovative methods of providing Extension (acronym for which is MANAGE) set
extension services, and up as an apex institute to train middle and senior
(iii) Coordination failures at multiple levels. level officers of the states/UTs.
For the improvement of the AES in the country
the suggested policy steps are:49 PmFBy
(i) Implementing a new scheme or additional The Government of India launched a new
outlays in existing schemes. agricultural insurance scheme in January 2016.
(ii) Need of ‘one-stop-shop’ that offers both The new scheme51—Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima
hardware and software solutions to raise Yojana (PMFBY)—has been termed as a path
breaking scheme for farmers’ welfare. The highlights
47. GFRAS (Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services), of this scheme are as given below:
2010 – quoted by the Economic Survey 2015-16,
Vol. 2, p. 111. 50. Ministry of Finance, Economic Survey 2015–16,
48. NITI Aayog, Task Force on Agriculture, 2015. Pulbication Division, India 2016; Ministry of Finance,
49. Ministry of Finance, Economic Survey 2015–16, Economic Survey 2014–15.
p. 112. 51. Government of India, N. Delhi, January 13th, 2016.