Here's What Really Matters in Extension-Farmer’s Gap in Technology Transfer in Assam

 

As extension personnel have publicly argued, the communication gap between extension and farmers has widened since the extension reforms (ZREAC Kharif-ZREAC for UBZ, Proceedings,2020). Indeed, it was government policies and programmes that worsened the chasm. In Assam, 54% of farmers lacked access to information, while 30% received right ADO/VLEW (NSSO,2013). Based on primary and secondary data, some policy-level suggestions that strengthened government policies may help avert future crises.

                                                                     

Image: Successful demonstration of a 'Recommended Technology' by an ADO

 (Image: Mr M. Bora)

The organisation's current challenges...

• Over 40% of field-level staff positions still need to be filled.

• As of 01.04.2020, 256 Director to ADO positions remains vacant out of 930 total. Out of 33 districts, only 28 District Agriculture Officer positions are vacant.

• Due to many vacancies, numerous ADOs and VLEWs are assigned 2-3 circles/leaks.

• The post-T&V scheme needs a clear job description for ADOs and AEAs.

• ADOs perform a variety of tasks outside their domain throughout the year.

• ADO and AEA have no scheduled official visits to meet with farmers.

• ADO/AEA does not have an official job description.

Policy recommendation: 

-Increase the rate at which vacant positions are filled (Recently, the government started to fill up the vacant post. In 2023, the situation is immensely improved for human resources)

-There is an immediate need to develop job descriptions for all cadres
 that reflect agriculture's current state.

The organisation's current challenges...

• Extension officers help government programmes targeted toward beneficiaries, and their services are limited to the beneficiaries and the programme

• Extension personnel are perplexed by the term "recommended technology."

Recommendation for Policy

-Associating extension personnel with all other responsibilities is critical,
 as agriculture is a time-sensitive activity.
-Considering the competitive market environment, the department
 should prioritise who or how technology will be recommended.

The organisation's current challenges...

• ATMA's performance is deficient.

• ATMA is being piloted with the help of temporary field-level extension staff.

• ATMA is still running on an ad hoc basis.

• The organisation continues to run the post-T&V system to work as the central public extension service provider.

Recommendation for Policy

-Evaluate the ATMA model's feasibility, which has been in experimentation since 2005.

The organisation's current challenges...

• There is no opportunity for advanced agricultural sector building capacity and no refresher training to keep knowledge current.

• There needs to be more information available to extension personnel.

• The average age of extension personnel is more than 50 years.

• The Directorate of Horticulture was created without creating positions.

Recommendation for Policy

-Infrastructure for the flow of information from various sources must be 
set up at the DAO/SDAO level.

-Within the Directorate of Horticulture, new jobs should be created and returned to the attached officers of the Agriculture Department.

The organisation's current challenges...

• Inadequate space for ADO offices

• Without FMCs, ADO/AEA service is affected.

• Extension services are not financially supported.

Recommendation for Policy

-The ADO's office should be conveniently set up in a location so that farmers can meet with ADOs on a predetermined day/week.

-The Office may be set up with Development Block.

-Maintain a budget to support the cost of routine extension services, which are not covered by any schemes.

(Opinions are the author’s personally prepared based on observation and primary and secondary data)