A number of ongoing schemes have an inbuilt component of skill development and training in agriculture sector.
Continuous efforts are being made to improve the coverage and quality of theseprogrammes through regular reviews, monitoring and formulation of new strategies.
The details of Schemes providing skill development and training for the farmers are given below:
Department of Agriculture & Cooperation
i.Support to State ExtensionProgrammes for Extension Reforms: Agriculture Technology Management Agencies (ATMAs) have been set up in 630 rural districts of 28 States & 3 UTs including 22 districts of Andhra Pradesh. The scheme promotes farmers centric extension system by putting in place a new institutional arrangement for technology dissemination in the form of Agricultural technology management Agency(ATMA) at district level. The activities taken up under the scheme includes capacity building of extension functionaries and farmers, front line demonstration, exposure visits, kisanmelas, farmers group mobilization, farm schools and farmers-scientist interaction. Through these activities, latest agriculture technologies are disseminated to farmers of the country.
ii.National Food Security Mission (NFSM): Amongst different interventions, under NFSM, Farmer Field Schools (FFS) are being implemented on a large scale to provide first-hand information to the farmers in their fields and equip them with necessary skills to enable them to adopt the improved crop production technologies for higher productivity. It involves demonstration of Improved Package of Practices (such as System of Rice Intensification) and promotion of improved varieties/hybrids of wheat, rice & pulses. All the farmers in the Mission areas are eligible for participating in the FFS. It is implemented in the Full Crop Season for a single day in a week or fortnight with total sessions ranging from 8 to 20. FFSs are also being run under Plant Protection Scheme & also under Cotton/Jute Technology Missions.
iii.National Horticulture Mission (NHM):Human Resource Development through training and demonstration is an integral component of the NHM. Under this Mission, training programmes for the farmers are conducted at district level, State level and outside the State on emerging issues of Horticulture.
iv.Horticulture Mission for North Eastern and Himalayan States (HMNEH): The HMNEH scheme, being run in North Eastern and Himalayan States, has also got component of transfer of technology through training/exposure visit of farmers.
v. Development and Strengthening of Infrastructure Facilities for Production and Distribution of Quality Seeds: Skill development through training and demonstration is provided for farmers and seed growers on techniques to be adopted for hybrid rice seed production.
vi.Promotion and strengthening of Agriculture Mechanization through Training, Testing and Demonstration: Information & latest technologies in the field of Agriculture Mechanization are being disseminated to farmers and rural unemployed youth through training programmes and demonstrations.
vii.Post-Harvest Technology and Management: Assistant is provided to the State governments and other implementing agencies in organising demonstration & trainings on post-harvest technology.
viii.Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses,Oilpalm and Maize (ISOPOM): Trainings are conducted for farmers for skill development in the area of adopting new technologies related to new varieties, pest management/control and adoption of new package of practices including new implements.
Department of Agricultural Research and Education
ix. Krishi Vigyan Kendras: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has created a network of 634 Krishi VigyanKendras (KVKs) in the country aiming at assessment, refinement and demonstration of technology/products. As part of this process, the KVKs also organize a number of training programmes to update the knowledge and skills of farmers.
This information was given today by Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Shri Tariq Anwar in a written reply to Rajya Sabhaquestions.
