Privatisation of Privatisation of Agricultural Extension Agricultural Extension

Service Service

Dr. Arpita SharmaAssistant Professor,

GBPUA&T, Pantnagar

PrivatizationPrivatization

Process of funding and delivering the extension services by private Process of funding and delivering the extension services by private individual or organization is called Private Extensionindividual or organization is called Private Extension

Privatisation is the act of reducing the role of government or Privatisation is the act of reducing the role of government or increasing the role of private sector in an activity or in the increasing the role of private sector in an activity or in the ownership of assets ownership of assets

Privatisation is the incidence or process of transferring ownership Privatisation is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of business from the public sector (government) to the private of business from the public sector (government) to the private sector (business)sector (business)

Private Extension is solely the act of private individuals or Private Extension is solely the act of private individuals or organizations where the decision of privatization solely rests with organizations where the decision of privatization solely rests with government implemented in liaison with Private Extension Service government implemented in liaison with Private Extension Service Provider Provider

Services rendered in the area of agriculture and allied Services rendered in the area of agriculture and allied aspects by extension personnel working in private aspects by extension personnel working in private agencies or organizations for which farmers are agencies or organizations for which farmers are expected to pay a fee (or free) and it can be viewed as expected to pay a fee (or free) and it can be viewed as supplementary or alternative to public extension supplementary or alternative to public extension services” .services” .

Privatisation of Agricultural Extension Service (PAES)

Public Extension System in IndiaPublic Extension System in India

India public extension system concentrated on India public extension system concentrated on rural community development objectives, rather rural community development objectives, rather than having strong agriculture focusthan having strong agriculture focus

Policy issuePolicy issue Disappointing in transfer of technologiesDisappointing in transfer of technologies

Weak points of Public extension Weak points of Public extension systemsystem

Extension worker : Farmers ratio-1:1000 Extension worker : Farmers ratio-1:1000 Inability to reach all farmersInability to reach all farmers Ineffective Extension servicesIneffective Extension servicesNo need assessmentNo need assessmentWomen involvement is lowWomen involvement is low

Indian agriculture is self reliant in food Indian agriculture is self reliant in food production.production.

Out of 1,10,000 extension staff of whom Out of 1,10,000 extension staff of whom around 20% are graduatesaround 20% are graduates

Low cost technologyLow cost technology

The primary goal of Government is to Maintain The primary goal of Government is to Maintain food security.food security.

India is in process of privatizing its input India is in process of privatizing its input system to improve farmer access to purchased system to improve farmer access to purchased inputs and to create a more efficient input inputs and to create a more efficient input supply system.supply system.

Privatization of extension refers to services Privatization of extension refers to services rendered in rural area & allied aspects of rendered in rural area & allied aspects of extension personnel working in private agencies extension personnel working in private agencies or organization for which farmers are expected or organization for which farmers are expected to pay a fee & it can be viewed as to pay a fee & it can be viewed as supplementary or alternative to public extension supplementary or alternative to public extension services. (Sarvanan & Shivalinge 1980)services. (Sarvanan & Shivalinge 1980)

Privatization approachesPrivatization approaches

Share cropping system Share cropping system

Village extension contract system Vil lage extension contract system

Public extension through private Public extension through private deliverydelivery

Service for vouchers Service for vouchers

In India more than 70% of operational farm holdings are small and In India more than 70% of operational farm holdings are small and marginal, and 70% of net sown area is rain fed, susceptible to marginal, and 70% of net sown area is rain fed, susceptible to external vagaries where farmers are mostly small and marginal external vagaries where farmers are mostly small and marginal working in resource poor and risk situations with poor infrastructure working in resource poor and risk situations with poor infrastructure and intuitional support. so the scope of privatization is limited.and intuitional support. so the scope of privatization is limited.(Kamerman and Kahn,1994)(Kamerman and Kahn,1994)

Introducing share cropping systemIntroducing share cropping system Giving partnership and more responsibility to private Giving partnership and more responsibility to private

sector and NGO.sector and NGO.

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PROGRAMMES AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PROGRAMMES USING PRIVATIZED SERVICE PROVISIONUSING PRIVATIZED SERVICE PROVISION

Agriclinics and Agribusiness Agriclinics and Agribusiness Centres, India.Centres, India.

  Agribusiness Init iatives. IndiaAgribusiness Init iatives. India

Favourable Factors for Privatization of Favourable Factors for Privatization of Agricultural Extension in IndiaAgricultural Extension in India

Technological advancement in the areas of Technological advancement in the areas of Communication Information Technology Communication Information Technology

Opening out of public research and Opening out of public research and educational inst itutes to part with the educational inst itutes to part with the technologies technologies

Changing-cropping trend and emergence of Changing-cropping trend and emergence of contract farmingcontract farming

Need to earn more from smaller holdings Need to earn more from smaller holdings Loss of credibi l i ty in the exist ing extension Loss of credibi l i ty in the exist ing extension

system system Inabil i ty of the public extension system to Inabil i ty of the public extension system to

reach the large targetreach the large target

More demand - driven rather than supply – drivenMore demand - driven rather than supply – driven

High quality of services in terms of satisfying information needs of High quality of services in terms of satisfying information needs of clientele, trained manpower, sustained finances and resource allocation clientele, trained manpower, sustained finances and resource allocation

Provides for an information mix and choices available to farmersProvides for an information mix and choices available to farmers

Enhanced efficiency of staffEnhanced efficiency of staff

Assure continuous supply and quality agricultural products Assure continuous supply and quality agricultural products

More effective because farmer can select an adviser who is the best able More effective because farmer can select an adviser who is the best able to helpto help

Healthy competition among service provider will lead to better quality and Healthy competition among service provider will lead to better quality and lower costs for service lower costs for service

Strengths of Private Extension System

Concentrate on area having favorable physical environment Concentrate on area having favorable physical environment

More face-to-face contacts (person oriented)More face-to-face contacts (person oriented)

Increased dependence of farmers and hence exploitationIncreased dependence of farmers and hence exploitation

No education roleNo education role

Deprivation of small farmersDeprivation of small farmers

Hamper the free flow of informationHamper the free flow of information

Weakness of Private Extension System

12/15/16