Organisation : Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare
Scheme Name : Sub Mission on Agricultural Extension SMAE
Applicable States/ UTs : All Over India
Home Page : http://krishivistar.gov.in/Home.aspx
Details Here : http://krishivistar.gov.in/Smae.aspx
Krishi Vistar SMAE Scheme
The implementation of National Mission of Agricultural Extension and Technology (NMAET) has started w.e.f 1.4.2014.
Related : Agriculture & Cooperation & Farmers Welfare KCC Kisan Call Centre : www.statusin.in/24699.html
Sub- Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE) is one of the four Sub – Missions under the National Mission.
The common threads running across all four Submissions of NMAET are Extension and Technology. These are inextricably linked to each other at the field level from farmer’s Perspective.
A multi-tiered extension strategy with a blend of following extension and outreach initiatives is being followed under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE) so as to empower farmers with the latest knowledge and information in agriculture and allied sectors
Salient Features
(i) Two months’ training is imparted to eligible selected candidates through Nodal Training Institutes identified across the country [identified by The National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE)} under the ACABC scheme. This is followed by one year of hand holding.
(ii) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is the implementing agency for disbursement of subsidy and monitoring the credit support to agri-clinics through commercial banks.
(iii) The scheme has a provision of credit support (start up loan) upto Rs.20 lakhs for individual project and Rs.100 lakhs for a group project. Financial assistance is provided through commercial banks (public and private), Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), State Cooperative Banks.
(iv) There is a provision of Credit linked back-ended upfront composite subsidy on the bank loan availed by trained candidates under the Scheme. The subsidy is 44% in respect of women, SC/ST and all categories of candidates from North-Eastern and Hill States and 36% in respect of other categories.
(v) Since inception of the scheme, a total number of 47815 candidates have been trained and 20448 of them established agri-ventures up to March, 2016.
These agri-preneurs services to farmers are also required to disseminate agriculture information on knowhow and agricultural technology to the farmers.
Background & Strategy
Restructuring and strengthening of agricultural extension machinery has to be a judicious mix of extensive physical outreach of personnel, enhancement in quality through domain experts & regular capacity building, interactive methods of information dissemination, Public Private Partnership, pervasive & innovative use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) / Mass Media, Federation of groups and convergence of extension related efforts under various schemes and programmes of Government of India and the State Governments.
The objective of this Sub-Mission is to appropriately strengthen, expand and up-scale existing Extension & Information Technology (IT) Schemes.
The on-going Extension Schemes include the Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes being implemented by the Extension Division/Directorate of Extension.
Even in the case of Central Sector Schemes which are proposed to be subsumed within the Mission, a greater role has been envisaged for the States through their active involvement in planning, implementation and monitoring.
A. Centrally Sponsored Schemes
1. Support to State Extension Programme for Extension Reforms
2. National e-Governance Plan – Agriculture
B. Central Sector Schemes
1. Mass Media Support to Agricultural Extension
2. Agri Clinics & Agri Business Centres (ACABC)
3. Extension Support to Central Institutes
4. Strengthening/Promoting Agricultural Information System including Kisan Call Centres (KCC)