MANAGE offers course in agri extension

The National Institute for Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), a central government organisation, is conducting a one-year course "� Diploma in Agriculture Extension Service for Input dealers (DAESI) "� for traders in fertilisers, pesticides and other inputs in West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Karimnagar, Medak, Mahbubnagar, Adilabad and Nalgonda districts.

The course is under implementation in 252 districts of the country. DAESI would also be extended to other districts of Andhra Pradesh, and the course aims at educating about 20,000 input dealers in the state in all spheres of agriculture.

They are expected to create awareness among farmers on proper use of inputs and advise them on various field problems. Noted agricultural scientists, experts and department officials have been enlisted as faculty members. Thirty-eight dealers have joined the course in Krishna district.

K V Krishna Moorthy, facilitator for DAESI, told Business Standard that these days an input dealer had become a friend and guide to farmers and was playing a pivotal role in private credit, use of inputs and solving field problems.

"However, his advice to farmers depends on the inputs available with him. He frequently ill-advises farmers as a sequel of which the latter are put to heavy losses and debts. The nation pays dearly by losing massive farm production. Hence, the government has decided to give input dealers a major place and responsibility in farm production by upgrading their knowledge in agriculture."

He said dealers would also be taken to farm research stations at Lam, Marteru, Machilipatnam, Pulla, Garikapadu and Amaravathi for field studies.

This situation was not there before 1980 when the Department of Agriculture supplied fertilisers, pesticides and other inputs along with seeds to farmers all over the state, he said.

After 1983, this job was taken away from the department while the state was witnessing a steep increase in the demand for inputs. Traders stepped into the gap. Government agencies like Agro Industries Corporation were closed. The seeds corporation was entrusted with supply of seeds only. While traders monopolised supply of inputs, their share in seeds supply had also grown to 60 per cent over the years, he explained.

He said that the dealer-students should pass pre-evaluation tests, which include five quizzes (each 20 marks), half-yearly examination (30 marks), annual examination (50 marks) and practicals (40 marks) and viva (10 marks). The candidates should get 40 per cent for qualifying himself for DAESI.

He said the syllabus included various cultivation methods, farm technologies, weather parameters, soil survey, organic manure, biofertilisers, biopesticides, plant protection, integrated pest management, integrated nutrition management, deficiency diseases, field schools, rodent management, irrigation systems, maintenance of farm equipment, communication skills, watershed management, weed management, natural calamities, personality development, ethics in business, yoga, capacity building, WTO regulations, liberalisation, globalisation, privatisation, ornithology, medicinal plants, crop rotation, seed laws, Pesticide Act, Fertiliser Control Act, Essential Commodities Act, Weights and Measures Act and IPC.