The document discusses the need for agricultural extension reforms to improve farmer education and income through a pluralistic extension system. It outlines various strategies for effective extension services, including technology mapping, training needs assessments, and collaboration with private firms and NGOs. Key outcomes focus on enhancing knowledge adoption, technology dissemination, and ensuring public good in agricultural practices.

1. Agricultural Extension Reforms
A Amarender Reddy
Principal Scientist(Agricultural Economics)
& Head, Section of Design and Analysis
ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad
Email: amarender.reddy@icar.gov.in
Contact No. 7042361439
Presented at International Conference on Innovations to Transform Drylands
ICRISAT, India; 21-23 February, 2023

2. Steps for better extension system
• Agricultural extension is the application of scientific
research and new knowledge to agricultural practices
through farmer education.
• “Understanding the best development pathways to scaleup”
• “Enabling pluralistic agricultural extension system, but
recognizing it as pubic good”

3. Inputs/Activities
Different
extension
methods
Trainings/
Demonstrations
Output
Demonstrations
conducted/
training
programmes
conducted
Outcome
Knowledge
and adoption
scores of the
farmers
Impact
Farmers income,
livelihoods
improvement
100 % Control Less control
Agricultural Extension System
(Results Framework)

4. Theory of change for better extension system
Identification
of constraints
and
opportunities
Key
technologies
identification
Key
indicators
Technology
assessment
Identification
of actions for
dissemination
of technology
1.Technology
mapping and
assessment
2.Knowledge &
Adoption score
3.Training needs
4.Extension methods
5.Market, credit &
institutional
constraints
6.Escape from
constraints
7.Change in
knowledge and
adoption score

5. KVK
ATIC
Action
research
MGMG
Influence
Control
1. Training needs assessments/workshops to
understand farmers problems and
department of agriculture needs.
2. Understanding bottlenecks (nudge choice
architecture).
3. Market-led extension.
4. Technology parks of success stories(cross
learning).
5. Mouth piece of government.
6. Consortium development at each ATARI level
(with all are equal partners).
7. Positive deviance (20% of KVKs).
Innovation systems Collaborations Mass media
SAU
State Dept of
agriculture
NIRD
Ministry of
Rural Devt.
All farmers
FPOs/
Private
Input dealers
GP/Local govt.

6. ATARI
SAU
1. Technology development
2. Localised research
3. OFD
KVK
1. Technology assessment &
refinement
2. Skill development
3. OFD
Div.Ext
ICAR/institutions
1. Needs assessment(D&S)
2. Research farmers priorities
3. Technology testing
Donor consortium
(FICCI/Foundations)
1. Impacts
2. Scale
3. Location specific
NGOs
1.Social cause
2.Trust
Private firms
1.Market
2.Business
Bank
1.Customers
2. Business
FPOs
1.Technology
2.Market linkages
Dpt. Of agril
1.Scalable
technology
Pluralistic approach
Other
Dept.
Skill dvt
MGMG/
SCSP/STP
Only governments
can ensure that
extension services
work for the public
good

7. SWOT Analysis of KVK system
Strengths
1. Scientific backstopping & Multidisciplinary team.
2. Assessing need based technologies and trainings.
3. Showcasing of best technologies.
4. OFTs,OFDs, trainings, meetings
5. Linkages with Dept. of Agril and progressive farmers.
Weakness
1. Documentation of field data.
2. Non-convergence with private.
3. Flexibility.
4. Reporting to multiple agencies.
5. Clear development pathways.
Opportunities
1. Training + handholding (FPOs/entrepreneurship).
2. Innovative models (pluri-agency)
3. Tapping CSR fund.
4. Digital platforms (auto-reporting)
5. Post-harvest and market reforms awareness.
6. Extension blended with technology aids.
Threats
1. Collaboration with private firms
(modalities to be developed).

8. Priority issues
• Technology enabled training halls.
• Farmers incomes.
• OFTs to FLDs.
• Technologies adopted by Dept. of Agril.
• Outputs to outcomes.
• Climate resilient technologies.
• Diversification to HVCs.
• Cross-bred livestock/mobile centres
• Sponsored research/activities.
• Value addition, exports, processing.
• Model villages
• Farming systems demo plots
• Youth and women
• Seed hub
• Organic agriculture
• One district-One product
• Custom hiring centres
• ICT, drones/videos/solar pump sets
• Technology kits/package
• Organised poultry & dairy
• Easy reporting (google forms)
• Farmer friendly reporting

9. Outcomes
• Extension blended with technology aids for effectiveness.
• Market led extension and entrepreneurship/export-led.
• Handholding for FPOs.
• ICT based (Kisan saradhi/m-kisan/video clips) extension.
• Convergence of extension services - public, private and ICT enabled
models.
• Consortium with foundations and private sector
• CSR fund for action research.
• Pluralistic extension
• Community radio for technology dissemination.
• Nudge centre for technology adoption(Development pathways).

10. Outcomes
• Extension system with focus on entire value chain.
• Convergence of extension services - public, private and ICT enabled models.
• Collaboration for designing the action research.
• External funding for pluralistic innovative models.
• Decentralised innovative pluralistic extension models for upscaling.
• Innovative pluralistic ICT based models upscaled by central/state
governments.
• Testing, validation and upscaling of technologies for doubling farmers
incomes.
• TV/radio/social media for technology dissemination.

11. Outcomes
• Prioritisation of technologies: knowledge and adoption score
• Emphasis on average farmer
• Technology enabled extension methods and class rooms.
• Reduction of yield gaps in paddy and wheat.
• Crop diversification, livestock and primary processing.
• Organized poultry and dairy.
• Market led extension and entrepreneurship.
• Technologies upscaled through Dept. of Agril.
• At least one action research project and model village in every KVK.
• Aspirational districts in Bihar and Jharkhand.

12. Thanks