Cyber Power-A New Dimension to Natural Resource Management  

              G. Bhaskar, Research Associate and N.K. Sanghi, Director            (MANAGE Bulletin)

In this issue * Cyber power - a new Dimension to Natural Resource Management    objectives    Activities    Current status * Capacity Building for Human Resource Development:    Training of Master Trainers in Maharashtra * Research     Watershed Management Project: Economic evaluation     Post Graduate Programme on Agri-Business Management     Information Resource Corner

About  the  issue

MANAGE has initiated a project for Cyber management of Natural Resources which connects the Manchal watershed with MANAGE and DPAP office through a computer and communication network, using dial-up connectivity. This network is expected to empower farmers who are part of watershed management and facilitate them to do their own data analysis and generate reports to be submitted to the DPAP office. Farmers can contact the officials or send queries to the DPAP or PIA officials to solve their problem in the village itself.

The objectives are to:

• Establish a three way connectivity between Manchal Watershed, MANAGE and DPAP office.
• Enable efficient communication of reports viz. Watershed committee reports and PIA reports, required by DPAP from MANAGE and Manchal Watershed, using dial-up network connectivity.
• Empower farmers working in watershed management(Watershed Committee members) in collecting data, preparing action plan and generating monthly/quarterly reports.
• Implement an electronic mail system from Manchal to MANAGE/DPAP for solving problems at the field level or for any advice required by the farmers.
• Implement on-line textual conferencing between farmers of Manchal with MANAGE NRM staff to discuss issues and problems.
• Add value-added services to the village computer service through Internet.

Software for watershed management

Software has been developed in visual basic using Access database for automating the reporting system. The software captures the work / head wise expenditure details, which are basic input information, required to generate the monthly and quarterly reports. It helps capture structure-wise estimations, user group contributions and master database of private land, horticulture details of farmers. It also captures the PIA expenditure details. The software produces monthly / quarterly progress reports, structure-wise expenditure, cash book, ledger and proposals of private land and horticulture etc.

Location of booth and Infrastructure

The Sarpanch and the Gram Panchayat committee has agreed to give one room in the Gram Panchayat Bhavan at Arutla Village for installing the systems.

A Pentium III computer, and a printer have been installed in the village booth along with a TV with converters which converts the computer screen on to the TV for displaying in formation available on CDs.

Communication Technology

Dial-up modem technology has been used to implement this project. Using dial-up network connectivity all three places are interconnected using file transfer terminal software. This software enables in sending or receiving the files by establishing point-to-point connectivity with remote computers.

The software also provides an on-line textual chatting facility to communicate or discuss any issues on-line. E-mail connectivity is provided to send or receive mails from the village booth. Internet facility is also provided at the village.

Training

Four women have been selected from the village and have been trained to operate the computers and watershed management software and to send and receive the reports to and from DPAP office. One person from each watershed has been giving orientation training on computers. They have also undergone training for send e-mails and browsing the internet.

These women are operating computers in the village booth during the morning shift from 9 am. to 2 pm. They are interacting with farmers and helping then get information from the Internet, and displaying information on CDs through television. They will soon be imparting training to schoolchildren during the summer vacations.

The trained watershed secretaries (farmers) are performing the job of preparing reports, action plans and budget estimates on computers for different water harvesting structures. These reports will be sent through dial-up modem facility to DPAP office and MANAGE every month. The DPAP and MANAGE are also interacting with Manchal watershed through computer network to send any information.

Current status

Cyber power in watershed management has brought transparency to watershed activities. The direct involvement of farmers in preparing budget estimates and reports has given then strength which has resulted in smooth implementation of watersheds in the village. The village booth is also giving the farmers information from the net. Computer literacy among farmers is increasing and farmers are demanding useful crop based information. Farmer based sites on the Net are increasing day by day and these will provide the need-based information to farmers soon, right at their doorstep.

In the context of growing importance of human resource development for agricultural extension, the need for capacity building for the same need hardly be over emphasized.

At the instance of the Government of Maharashtra, MANAGE has taken up a programme for capacity building of field level officials as trainers for respective areas. The Department of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra has initiated this process in order to train the Sub Divisional Agricultural Officers and Taluk/Circle level Agricultural Officers as master trainers and trainers respectively. The capacity building programme is to be taken up in two phases. To begin with, in the first phase MANAGE has organised two training programmes at Nagpur and Aurangabad during February and March 2000.

The objective of Phase I was to provide a broad understanding of the training methodology and role of Master trainers and to expose them on the steps and methods of training needs assessment. Given the role of a Master Trainer as designer and manager of the training, the course was aimed at getting them acquainted with diagnostic skills so that they would be able to identify the needs in a given area of a project / programme, and plan the programmes accordingly.

Shri U.D.Thakare, Director (Extension & Training) during his interaction with the participants stressed on the importance of location specific training. Shri Thakare observed that the SDAOs should play a key role in HRD of field functionaries. He also highlighted on the importance of taking initiative and motivation in managing developmental programmes.

During the second programme held at Aurangabad Shri Shivajirao Deshmukh, Secretary, Agriculture, Govt. of Maharashtra, in his inaugural address called upon the participants to imbibe the spirit of working with others and impressed upon them the importance of staff development and of developing ones own skills. In this context he referred to the single window system of extension introduced in the state and the need for training to meet the new initiative. Shri Deshmukh also stressed on the importance of motivation in organisational effectiveness. He hoped that the SDAOs as Master Trainers would play a key role in strengthening the systems and programmes in the state.

A get-together was organised on 3^rd March wherein Shri Ranjit Deshmukh, Honourable Minister for Agriculture, Shri Shivajirao Deshmukh, Secretary, Dr. S.K.Goel, Commissioner of Agriculture, Shri U. D. Thakare, Director of Extension & Training and other officials of the department participated.

The programmes were coordinated by Shri V.K.Reddy, Dy. Director MANAGE.

Agricultural Human Resource Development: Training of Trainers

MANAGE organized two training programmes for trainers during 1999-2000, at the instance of Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh. These are part of World Bank sponsored Agricultural Human Resource Development Project aimed at, among other things, improving the quality and relevance of in-service training programmes. The objective is to train them in the emerging areas on the agricultural front so that they in turn are able to train the field personnel in these areas. The training programmes were organised in two phases of each three weeks duration on Participatory Extension Management and Participatory Technology Management

The participants include trainers drawn from Farmers Training Centres, Agriculture Staff Training Institute, In-service Training Centres and also from the field i.e. officers who will be associated as resource persons for training programmes.

The Phase I training of trainers of "Participatory Extension Management" was organized from 17^th January to 4^th February, 2000. The main objective of the course was to acquaint the field officials drafted as trainers with location specific and farmer driven extension methodologies and technologies such as PRA, FSBE etc., and related training methodology. The trainers are expected to train the field functionaries on these aspects. Team building also formed an important part of the course wherein experiential learning methodology was used. Training methodology was also included as one of the modules covering aspects such as participatory training methods, presentation skills, session planning and audio-visual aids.

As to the methodology, besides experiential learning, provision was made for field visits, practice of organizing the models, session etc. The participants found the training methodology as interesting and effective and considered it as an interesting experience different from the methods followed in other institutions.

The faculty for the course included Dr. M.G.Umate, Shri Priyanath Chary, Shri Gopinath Sai, Dr. K.Nagi Reddy, Facilitators of MANAGE. Besides, internal faculty associated with the course were Shri V.K.Reddy, Mrs. K.Uma Rani, Mrs. G.Jaya and Dr.T.D.S.Kumar.

The Programme was attended by 28 participants. Shri K.Agbal Rao, Additional Director of Agriculture of Agriculture, A.P. in his inaugural address stressed on the importance of the HRD Project and expectations of Government on Trainers. He oriented them on the significance of different modules particularly on PRA and FSBE and their relevance to field situations. Dr. N.K.Sanghi, Director (NRM) delivering the valedictory address referred to the scope of application of different modules in agricultural extension and hoped that the participants would apply the learning’s from the course in the field before they come for phase II training.

The phase II programme was organized during March 6-24, 2000. The main objectives of the course were to acquaint trainers with the emerging trends in technology management and to provide practice in the training methodology so that they in turn, can train their field staff in these areas. The programme was aimed at providing problem solving approaches in technology management and not technology per se. The themes included Farming System Approach; Participatory Watershed Management; Integrated Pest Management and emerging areas such as Integrated Nutrient Management Commercialization of Agriculture, Cyber-Extension, Tissue-culture etc.

The methodology of the course included lecture-cum-discussions, field practicals and visits to success stories. As part of the study visit the participants visited watersheds in Ralegaon Siddi and in Kamalpur of MYRADA. They had the opportunity of interacting with Shri Anna Hazare. Shri Annaji impressed upon them the need for identifying and encouraging development oriented leadership for the success of agricultural and rural development programmes. In this context he shared his experiences on how he had gone about ensuring peoples participation and cooperation in planning and implementing various developmental schemes in the villages where his agency has been operating. The participants were also exposed to the empowerment side of watershed management as practiced by MYRADA. They could get hands on experience on self help groups and their role not only as entry points but for managing watershed activities. The interaction with women members of SHGs was revealing. On the whole the study visits proved that attitudinal change can be brought about through such visits as well.

Dr. T.D.S.Kumar, Dr. M.G.Umate, Dr.B.D.Tripathi and Shri V.K.Reddy facilitated the programme.

The programme also included visits to tissue culture units and exposure to commercialization of agriculture and use of information technology in Rythu Bazars.

During the valedictory address Dr. Rama Pandu, Project Director, AHRD Project, ANGRAU shared the experiences in the implementation of the project. He hoped that the participants would utilize what was learnt in the course. He also referred to the scope for utilization of the expertise of university faculty in dealing with different themes of the modules covered in the course. The programmes were coordinated by Shri V.K.Reddy, Deputy Director, MANAGE.

Watershed Management Project: Economic evaluation

A study of economic evaluation of watershed management project in Manchal is in progress. The objectives are to study:

• the socio-economic condition of households in the watershed project area
• impact of the watershed management programme on land use, production, productivity and cropping pattern
• impact of the programme on income and employment of households of watershed
• impact on distribution and concentration of income among the households.
• Suggest suitable policy measures in scientific management of watershed

The Programme has evoked immense response from agricultural graduates throughout the country and the Agri-Business sector which is showing more interest in recruiting MANAGE PGPABM students in Executive Management Training cadres. The students are getting 100% placements. Around 11 companies have recruited the students of the 1998-2000 batch and include companies like Dabur India, DSCL, EID Parry, Indophil, ITC, Mahyco, Rallis, SPIC-PHI, UPL and Wockhardt.

Keeping in view the growing needs of the agro-based companies, the curriculum has been restructured with a focus on significant qualitative upgradation of the programme. The selection procedure is also modified to ensure that a large number of students can appear from their nearest computer point situated in 37 locations across the country. MANAGE has entered into an MoU with NIIT and the next batch of students can appear in an on-line test on June 4, 2000, for getting admission into the PGPABM course.

• Common Principles for Watershed Development
• Innovations in Technology Dissemination (MANAGE-NATP Series 1)
• Agricultural Technology Management Agency (MANAGE-NATP Series 2)
• Strategic Research and Extension Plan (SREP) Guidelines (MANAGE-NATP Series 3)
• Procurement Guidelines under NATP (MANAGE-NATP Series 4)

• Ryuthu Bazaar (also on CD)
• Beyond the Horizons (on Facilitator Development at MANAGE)
• Harnessing Political and social resources for overall development
• Greening of Institutional Land

Please write to Director General, MANAGE, for copies of the publications and videos.

 Forthcoming…

National seminar on Private Extension - Approaches and Challenges in the Millenium

A National seminar on Private Extension - Approaches and Challenges in the Millenium

Is scheduled to be organized during July 28-29, 2000. The seminar aims to understand and recognize the role played by private extension services and attempts to find ways to liaise with public extension systems to serve agriculture better.

Papers are invited on Extension approaches, strengths and weaknesses of private extension services; Linkages between private and public extension systems; Policy guidelines for private extension; Models for private and public extension cooperation; Role of private extension in the millenium and Innovations in private extension.

For more information please contact Dr. P. Chandrashekara, Organising Secretary, MANAGE, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. Tel: 040 - 4016702-708; Res: 4011217; fax: 4015388.

International Convention on "Agricultural Marketing Management: Challenges in the Millenium"

This convention is scheduled during August 24-25, 2000, at MANAGE, Hyderabad. Papers are invited on themes relating to Institutional Framework, Pricing Management; Policies for Agricultural Marketing management in the context of Globalisation; and Planning and Management of Agri-Product markets.

For more details please contact Dr. K.H. Vedini, Organizing Secretary, MANAGE, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. Tel: 040 - 4015630; 4016702-708 (Extn. 207); fax: 4015388.