Government to implement Various schemes to enrich the skills in Farmers

The Government is formulating various Schemes with training and capacity building of farmers as one of the components. One such attempt is the Scheme ATMA, started under ‘Support to State Extension Programme for Extension Reforms', which provides support for organizing trainings to farmers at National, State and District level. The scheme also provides for setting up of Farm Schools where progressive farmers with the help of subject matter experts provide trainings to other farmers at six critical stages of the crop cycle. At least, 50% beneficiaries under ATMA Scheme have to be small and marginal farmers.


What is ATMA?
Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) is a society of key stakeholders involved in agriculture activities for sustainable agricultural development in the district.
ATMA is mainly intended to:

• decentralize decision-making to the district level through the creation of Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA). 
• increase farmer input programme planning and recourse allocation, especially, at the block level, and to increase accountability to stakeholders. 
• increase programme coordination and integration, so that the programme thrusts such as Farming System Innovations (FSIs), Farmers Organization (FOs), Technology Gaps (TG) and Natural Resource Management (NRM) can be more effectively and efficiently implemented.

Besides this, skill development of farmers, including small and marginal farmers, under Schemes are as follows:

1. National Food Security Mission (NFSM): Trainings of farmers are organized through Farmer Field Schools (FFS).
2. National Project on Management of Soil Health and Fertility: Trainings on balanced use of fertilizers are being provided.
3. Watershed Development Programmes: Under National Watershed Development Project for Rain-fed Areas (NWDPRA), Soil Conservation in the Catchments of River Valley Project and Flood Prone Rivers (RVP & FPR) and Water-shed Development Project in Shifting Cultivation Areas (WDPSCA), trainings on agricultural production, in-situ moisture conservation, on farm water management, water use efficiency etc. are provided to the farmers.
4. Farm Mechanization Training and Testing Institutes (FMTTI): Training is imparted on operation, maintenance and repair of small tools/ equipments.
5. Integrated Development of Tree Borne Oilseeds Scheme: Farmers’ training is organized for quality seed collection, nursery raising, plantation and production of Tree Borne Oilseeds (TBOs).
6. Strengthening of Infrastructure Facilitates for Production and Distribution of Quality Seed: Training programmes are organized for farmers on fields to upgrade the quality of farmer-saved seeds in association with Seed Village Programme.
7. National Horticulture Mission (NHM) and Horticulture Mission for North Eastern Hills (HMNEs): Need based trainings are provided to small and marginal farmers.