CCEA approves national mission on farm extension

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the implementation of the National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology (NMAET) during the 12th Plan period.

The extension of NMAET and its components will be expanded and up-scaled appropriately and implemented in a more coordinated and convergent manner.

The mission will have a total outlay of over 13,073 crore rupees, with the Centre's share of over 11,390 crore rupees and State share of over 1,682 crore rupees.

The aim of the mission is to restructure and strengthen agricultural extension to enable delivery of appropriate technology and improved agronomic practices to farmers.

This is envisaged to be achieved by a judicious mix of extensive physical outreach and interactive methods of information dissemination, use of ICT, popularisation of modern and appropriate technologies, capacity building and institution strengthening to promote mechanisation, availability of quality seeds, plant protection etc. and encourage aggregation of Farmers into Interest Groups (FIGs) to form Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).