REPORT ON NATIONAL SEMINAR ON PRIVATE EXTENSION

National Seminar on Private Extension was held at MANAGE, Hyderabad, during 28^th and 29^th July 2000. The focus of the Seminar was on Approaches and Challenges in the millennium.

The Seminar was conducted with the following main objectives 1.      To recognize the services of Private Extension. 2. To understand the Private Extension approaches, strength and weaknesses 3. To workout the linkages between Private and Public Extension Systems and to develop models         for co-operation 4. To work out the guidelines for Private Extension. 5. To visualize the role of Private Extension in the millennium and 6. To learn from the innovations in Private Extension for the benefit of Public Extension.

The Seminar was attended by 57 delegates representing 11 states and organizations namely, ICAR, State Agriculture University, KVK’s, Farmers Organizations, Farm Journalists, NGO’s, Agriculture Consultants, State Agriculture Departments, Commodity Boards, Agri-Business Companies, Agri-Entrepreneurs, and Practicing Farmers. The seminar was organized by Dr.P.Chandra Shekara, Deputy Director, MANAGE.

Sixty Seven research papers were classified and presented under five technical sessions covering all objectives. The technical sessions were shared by eminent academicians and practitioners in the field of Agricultural Extension

 

Recommendations of National Seminar on Private Extension

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1. Considering the strengths and weaknesses of Private Extension, it is felt appropriate to develop a proper linkage strategy between Private and Public Extension systems.

2. The Extension services provided by Small Scale Agree-business agencies are to be streamlined and monitored by proper legislation.

3. Women, small and marginal farmers and dry land Agriculture are to given emphasis by Private Extension or Private Extension supported by Public Extension.

4. The Participants in the session endorsed the view to introduce privatization of extension services in phased manner.

5. News papers and other Mass Media are to be utilized as effective channels for transfer of agricultural technology even by Private Extension

6. Private Extension in the area of post harvest technology and food processing has to be prioritized.

7. Accountability and quality service are to be ensured by Private Extension.

8. An atmosphere has to be created to maintain healthy competition between all individuals and organizations providing Agricultural Extension Services.

9. Multi – disciplinary and competent constancy units needs encouragement from gover nment.

10. Public Extension system should consider introducing partial cost recovery for extension services w.r.t specialized and demand driven technologies.

11. Strengthening of information services to self help groups of farmers may be prioritized by Private Extension.

12. Promotion of linkage between various stakeholders for effective delivery of extension services.

13. Opportunities for diversification of Private Extension has to be found out and education oriented Private Extension services have to be supported to promote social equity.

14. Registration of all private consultancy activity may be made compulsory.

15. Panchayats may be encouraged to involve Private Extension services.

16. Agriculture Education may be modified / restructured to build capacity among students to take up Private Extension instead of just working for government jobs.

17. Private Extension should have access to information/ technologies developed by public organizations.

18. Promoting skill based advanced training programs to the farm youth (Ex. Artificial insemination grafting) can strengthen the Public Extension Services. Private Extension can take up this activity.

19. Absence of linkages of any sub – system with any other sub– system leads to isolation, which in turn leads to low production. Ways and means of increasing the linkages by having right perception of various system members about the roles and functions of other systems have to be devised and strengthened.

20. The Extension Services in the next millennium shall be pro– active, pro–poor and pro–women. The development efforts through public extension had resulted in widening the gap between rich and poor and marginalisation of women, which should be avoided through rational and judicious blending of Public and Private Service.

21. Group Extension model which promotes partnership of Public and Private Extension services is considered as ideal, which can be tried by our development agencies, irrespective of whether it is Public or Private.

22. Marketing intervention by Public Extension is a strong, desirable move, which found to be very weak in actual situation. The area has to be focused by Private Extension.

23. Results of NARP studies have proved that Private Industries are highly competitive. There shall be strong linkage between Public R & D Institutions and Private Input Industry.

24. There are many lessons that one can learn from the analysis of functioning of various farmer associations. The innovatory industries of many associations had been accepted and adopted by the Public Extension System. Such initiatives had found to be more sustainable. Hence, it is necessary that such initiatives are identified and promoted. Detailed studies on such initiatives may be attempted.

25. Private Extension System has to be introduced with great caution keeping in mind the problems and constraints of rural development efforts by the Public Extension System. Emphasis shall be on development of human resources for Private Extension Service.

26. Private Extension Service should be demand driven and farmers should control extension system. Credit, marketing and agro– processing should be well integrated for providing value oriented extension service for farmers.

27. Privatization has to be done first on experimental basis and tried in areas where Public Extension has failed.

28. Subsidy should be withdrawn gradually and incentives may be introduced to the farmers.

29. Cost recovery should be emphasized while Privatizing Extension.

30. Audio / Videocassettes have to be produced on new technology to provide to farmers on rental basis through Public Extension System.

31. Farm Clinics may be developed.

32. Contract farming system needs encouragement.

33. Methods may be evolved for effective monitoring of extension.

34. Both Central and State Governments should come out with explicit policy guidelines specifying the role of private agencies in Agricultural Development.

35. As the Law of survival will operate, let there be healthy competition between Public and Private Extension, so that the rural people and farming community can avail the benefit of both.

36. Farmers in general and Commodity groups in particular like "Grape Growers Association" "Flower Growers Association" may be promoted among the client groups. Such groups / associations can deal with the different agencies whoever does good to them on a competitive manner. Further, both systems can co –exist and have complementary and supplementary roles.

37. Government should have proper regulatory mechanism to work out modalities and cost aspects and safeguard the farming community from possible exploitations.

38. Policy makers and executors have to consider the global issues of economic liberalization, food security and sustainability when framing policies for privatization of extension in Indian context.

39. Government may encourage the efforts of NGO’s in educating the farmers regarding government policies, rules, regulations and their privileges and rights so that there can be better awakening among farming community.

40. Private Extension shall be monitored by a statutory body, which should have representatives from Academicians, farmers Organizations, Private Social Organizations, Private Extension, State and Central Government.

41. Public sector Agricultural Extension service needs external assessment in each state.