Public Agricultural Extension System Support for the Natural Farming: A Case of Convergence Effort under ATMA, India

Abstract

Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) of India is a huge public extension system, it usually converge different extension service providing agencies, research organizations, NGOs, and other such agencies at district level with the farming communities (FIGs). Recognizing the importance of group led extension approach; ATMA has developed and/or strengthens several common interest groups (FIGs). One of the active performing groups was studied about its dynamics and empowerment brought forth by ATMA is presented in this paper. The reason behind in selection of this particular farmers’ interest group (FIG) is it’s unique practice of paddy cultivation rather to use synthetic chemicals. ATMA has strengthened this group with its convergence activity in collaboration with department of animal husbandry and NGO at their locality. ATMA is acting upon this group since eleven years to empower the farmers through group led extension. To measure the impact of ATMA in empowering the group, present study was conducted with the following objective: To measure the group dynamics of FIG - Natural farming and to identify the extent of empowerment as perceived by the respondents. To measure the group dynamics of this FIG, group dynamics index (GDI) was developed for this study. This FIG natural farming scored 0.63 out of 1 on GDI. According to the members of FIG natural farming, most of the empowerment (25.71%) fell out in economic security dimension.