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National Agriculture Policy

Agriculture Extension :

Agriculture extension is one of the main components of the National Agriculture Policy. There is a need for strengthening agricultural extension service for ensuring proper use of agricultural land and improving land productivity. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has got the responsibility of providing information on appropriate technologies to the farmers; educating the farmers through proper advice and training; and, thereby motivating the farmers to adopt improved technologies. To strengthen the above mentioned extension services, following steps will be taken:

• The New Agricultural Extension Policy (NAEP) is currently under implementation with the objective of promoting sustainable technology for a gradual development of the improved crop production system. The implementation of NAEP will be reinforced through necessary monitoring.
• Agricultural research-extension linkage will be further strengthened with a view to transferring new technologies to the farmers. Private sector entrepreneurs, NGOs and farmers will also be involved in strengthening this linkage.

The present agricultural extension set-up is sufficiently broad-based and bolstered by efficient manpower. The following measures will be taken to make this organization more efficient and effective:

• DAE will prepare feasible and compatible programs for the proper use of cultivable land on the basis of demand for different crops and their production targets.
• DAE will regularly monitor the supply and availability of quality seeds, fertilizers, irrigation, pesticides, etc. in order to facilitate the cultivation of different crops. Besides, DAE will prepare an anticipated report on the increase/decrease of crop-wise demand for different inputs and apprise the authorities at the national level.
• The use of public mass media i.e. radio, television, newspaper, etc. will be increased for rapid extension of agricultural technologies. In this connection Agriculture Information Service will be strengthened.
• Proper use of Annual Development Plan allocations to local government will be ensured. Block-wise establishment of demonstration farms, which is already in practice, will be strengthened. Suitable crops, compatible with the overall conditions of the farms, will be determined by DAE. Visits to demonstration farms and interaction with the farmers by the extension workers at an important time of the respective cropping season will be further strengthened.
• To facilitate rapid transfer of agricultural production technologies, multiple extension approaches such as agricultural fair, field day, farmers’ rally, etc. will be widely practiced.
• Agriculture extension service will be strengthened to encourage self-motivated cooperative system of production.