Chapter 9 - Bihar governments’ efforts on agricultural extension adopting agricultural technology management approach

Abstract

Extension system world over is considered as an engine for transfer of knowledge, innovations, and developments in agriculture. However, with changing times, agricultural extension system too changed from production oriented to market-led and demand driven. During mid-1990s, the Government of India and World Bank explored a new approach to address problems and constraints of agricultural extension system and a new approach known as Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) was pilot-tested through innovations for technology dissemination (ITD) component of the World Bank funded, National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) that initiated in 1998 and concluded in June 2005. Government of India, considering the success of ATMA model, initiated a new scheme on support to state extension programs for extension reforms, and provided funds for setting up of ATMA in all the 588 rural districts of the country. The ATMA model envisages a paradigm shift from top-down to bottom-up planning and in implementation of agricultural development programs. Present study presented here was undertaken to measure the impact of ATMA model implemented under the ITD component of NATP in Bihar using following indicators: research–extension–farmer interface, level of diversification, adoption of technology, and change in crop yields in the study locale.