National Agricultural Research System is One of the Largest in the World
The Department
of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) coordinates and promotes
agricultural research & education in the country. DARE provides the
necessary government linkages for the Indian Council of Agricultural Research
(ICAR), the premier research organisation for co-ordinating, guiding and
managing research, education and extension in agriculture including
horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country. With 102
research institutes and 73 agricultural universities spread across the country,
the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) is one of the largest in the
world. While the ICAR Institutes have the Departments of Extension, the
Agricultural Universities have the directorates of extension to identify, test
and refine the transferable agricultural technologies and other related
information emanating from research as well as to establish effective liaison
among various departments and other stakeholders both the public and private
for their transfer.
To
ensure effective transfer of the technologies and scientific information
related to the farm sector to the farmers, line departments and other end users
at the district level, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has
established a network of 645 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in the country. The
KVKs are mandated to conduct frontline extension through the assessment and
demonstration of technologies/products and its dissemination through number of
extension programmes including training of farmers through specific training
programmes developed by KVKs on improved technologies related to agriculture
and allied fields, benefiting the farmers in terms of increased crop production
as well as farm income.
To
coordinate, monitor and implement the activities by KVKs in their respective
zone, 11 Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARIs) have
been setup at zonal level. At state level, the responsibility of coordination
and monitoring is with Directors of Extension of State Agricultural
Universities in coordination with ATARI. For effective monitoring of mandated
activities of KVKs, a local monitoring committee at State Agricultural
University level is formed. The Quarterly review of KVKs is done by
Vice-Chancellor of respective SAUs to monitor the technical, administrative,
financial and developmental activities. KVKs conduct one Scientific Advisory
Committee meeting every year to monitor the progress of technical,
administrative, financial and developmental activities.
The
KVKs function in close harmony and partnership with all developmental
agencies/organizations, farmers and other stakeholders. KVKs also provide
technological backstopping to ‘Agriculture Technology Management Agencies’
(ATMA), a scheme funded by the Department of Agriculture Cooperation and
Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) and other agencies at the district level. A
district level Joint Action Plan for enhancing interface between scientists,
extension functionaries and farmers is prepared through a joint meeting of KVK
and ATMA officials under the chairmanship of the District Collector. A
quarterly interface meeting, involving all line departments of the district, is
held by all KVKs to monitor the implementation of the Joint Action Plan and to
share new information and technologies for wider dissemination in the district.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research also maintains
effective linkages with other key programs of the Government of India like
RKVY, MNREGA and NHM and other extension activities including those related to
public sector, farmers’ organizations, NGOs, Commodity Boards and private sector.
ICAR contributes through technology backstopping in the National Rabi and Kharif conferences organized every year in which
extension agencies from all the states also participate.
Besides, the
Agricultural Technology Information Centres (ATIC) are also established at
various ICAR Institutes and Agricultural Universities which function as “single
window” support system linking various units of a research institution with
intermediary users and end users (farmers). They provide advisories, inputs and
diagnostic services for soil and water testing, plant and livestock health as
well as provide information through published literature and communication
materials as well as audio-visual aids.
The details of the funds
allocated/ utilised by DARE during last three years are given below:
(`in crore)
|
2013-14
|
2014-15
|
2015-16
|
Revised Estimates
|
2600.00
|
2500.00
|
3000.00
|
Expenditure
|
2469.17
|
2268.57
|
2900.00
|
This
information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers
Welfare, Shri. Sudarshan Bhagat today in Lok Sabha.
Courtesy: pib.nic.in
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