Lok Sabha Question No. 3369 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-01
Subject: CSDS Report and Agri-Extension Services
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, Shrirang Appa Barne, DHARMENDRA YADAV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3369

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1 ST  JANUARY, 2019

## CSDS REPORT  AND AGRI-EXTENSION SERVICES

3369.     SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO  RAUT: DR.  PRITAM  GOPINATH MUNDE: DR.  SHRIKANT  EKNATH SHINDE: SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: SHRI  DHARMENDRA YADAV:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  76  per  cent  of  the country's farmers would prefer to do some other  work than  farming  and  they  need immediate help and any further delay will only  increase  their suffering  and  lead  to greater unrest  as  per  the  report  prepared by the Centre for the study of Developing Societies, released in March 2018, based on a survey of 5,000 farm households across 18 States;
- (b) if  so,  whether  the  Union Government  has  studied  the  aforesaid report;
- (c) if so, the other findings thereof and the  reaction  of  the  Union  Government  thereon;
- (d) whether  agricultural  extension services are almost non-existent today;
- (e) if   so, whether  there is  a need to provide expert advice by trained officials at farmers doorstep at the beginning of every crop season regarding all issues like which crops  to  sow, technology,  market  prices, soil fertility, irrigation; and
- (f) if  so,  the  response  of  the  Union Government  thereon and  the  steps  taken by  the Union  Government  to  provide expert  advice  to  the  farmers  at  their doorstep?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

- (a): No such report by Centre for Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) of March 2018 has been received in the Department.
- (b) & (c): Question does not arise.
- (d) to (f): No Madam. A multi-tiered extension strategy with a blend of various extension & outreach initiatives is being followed under Sub-mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE) with a view to   empower farmers with the latest knowledge and information  in agriculture and all allied sectors.

Government has taken various steps  to provide  expert  technical  advice  to  farmers  on their  door  step  through  its  ongoing  Schemes  and  programmes.  Besides  creating  awareness, requisite capacity building & extension support is provided at the village level through trainings, demonstrations,  farm  schools,  farmer  field  schools  on  farm  trials  etc.  under  Sub-Mission  on Agricultural Extension (SMAE); Sub- Mission on Mechanization (SMAM), National Food security Mission  (NFSM),  Sub-Mission  on  Plant  Protection  (SMPP)  and  Sub-Mission  on  Seeds  and Planting Material (SMS&PM) of DAC&FW.

ATMA  (Agricultural Technology Management  Agency)  component  of  SMAE  also supports provision of expert  advice  by a team of trained dedicated  extension functionaries at State, District, Block and Village level (one person over every two villages).

Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  (KVKs)  of  DARE,  ICAR  provide  expert  advice  to  farmers  on various aspects of farming during training programmes, field visits, farmers-scientists interface, Kisan goshthies, farmers fairs, mobile phones, farm radio and television programmes through their Subject Matter Specialists (SMSs).

Agriculture related information and expert advice is also provided to the farmers through Kisan  Call  Centres  (KCCs) set  up  under  SMAE.  The  KCCs  have toll  free  telephone  lines accessible  through  all  mobile  phones  and  landlines  of  all  telecom  networks  including  private service providers, on which farmers can call any time between 6 AM to 10 PM on all 365 days.

Mass Media Support to Agricultural Extension (MMSAE) component of SMAE supports using  existing  infrastructure  of  Door  Darshan  (DD)  and  All  India  Radio  (AIR)  to  telecast/ broadcast  agriculture  and  allied  sector  programmes  with  focus  on  technology,  market  prices, soil fertility, irrigation etc.

Agriculture  related  information  and  advisory  is  also  provided  through  SMSs  sent  to registered  users  under  farmer.gov.in  Further,  Department  has    developed  and  popularised Kisan Suvidha App which provide all relevant information to the farmers through mobile phones right at their door step.

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