Tamil Nadu government launches scheme to help farmers adopt new technology

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has launched the ‘Uzhavar-Aluvalar Thodarbu Thittam’ in an attempt to bridge the gap between farmers and officials in all village panchayats. A government order was issued to this effect on Tuesday.

The primary aim is to help in the dissemination of crop technology to farmers and collect updates on the condition of crops from farmers.

Under the scheme, in each village panchayat, ten farmers would be identified, out of whom at least two will belong to SC/ST communities, to be trained in technology and other aspects of agriculture. These farmers will be those who have already adopted new technologies or those with the inclination to learn, and will act as a ‘bridge’ between the agriculture and horticulture departments and other farmers in the panchayat.

A  new extension system will be formed, as part of which the number of visits of the block teams to the village panchayats would be increased.

There will be two extension teams in the block. The Block Extension Team (BET) of Agriculture will have the Assistant Director of Agriculture (ADA) as Head and Research Scientist of TNAU, Agriculture Officer (AO) and Deputy AO as members. For the BET of Horticulture, a similar team which will have the Assistant Director of Horticulture as head, is to be formed.

“It should be ensured that each Village Panchayat is visited extensively by an Assistant Agriculture/Horticulture officer, at least once in a fortnight and by an AO / Deputy AO and HO / Deputy HO once in a month as far as possible. The local prevailing priorities / crop conditions in the Village Panchayat are to be considered while fixing the schedule,” the order stated.

The details of these visits will be logged into a dedicated mobile app for the use of officials.

The announcement of the scheme was made by Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam during his budget speech.