As part of government’s initiative to promote activities in agriculture and allied departments by motivating and supporting farmers to adopt a Farming System Approach, through Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) in Puducherry and Karaikal districts, a State Level Review Workshop and Extension Research Interface was conducted recently. Farmers were given an understanding on the best use of latest technology on agriculture and its allied sectors with available means and resources and with integrated farming.
So far 127 Commodity Interested Groups (CIGs) were formulated to motivate the farmers to adopt a group-led extension system,under the centrally-sponsored project, said Project Director, G Ravipragasam. Further, he stated that the flagship programme of Govt of India , National Agricultural Development Programme (NADP), is dovetailed with Extension Reforms Scheme which includes innovative scheme on distribution of farm equipment at 50 per cent subsidy to CIGs. Government of India has so far released `118.15 lakhs which also includes `81.40 in the year 2011-2012.
Vivek Pandey, Secretary Agriculture, emphasized the need for intensive efforts to maintain the level of productivity by stepping up the yield per unit area. Officials from Department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Forestry, and NGOs including officials involved in Extension Reforms Scheme participated.