Agriclinics & Agribusiness Centres (AC&ABC)

The cause of this post arises from the inquiries on Agriclinics & Agribusiness centers (AC&ABC) Scheme.The contents of the post are previously posted by me in Orkut communities.Persistent inquires from the broad community qualified agricultural professionals into this made me to publish this post with the info down here.

Agriclinics & Agribusiness centres (AC&ABC)
The Scheme is jointly sponsored by NABARD, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt of India, SFAC(Small farmers Agribusiness consortium) and MANAGE(National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management)
Objectives of the scheme
To provide extension and other services to farmers on payment basis:
To support agriculture development and entrepreneurship:
To promote self-employment for graduates and allied seiences
Concept/Definition
Agri-Clinics are envisaged to provide expert advice and services to farmers on technology, cropping practices, protection from pests and diseases, market trends, prices of various crops in the markets and also clinical services for animal health, etc. which would enhance productivity of crops/animals and increased income to farmers.
Agri- Business centers are envisaged to provide farm equipments on hire, sale of inputs and other services.
Eligibility
The scheme is open to agriculture graduates /graduates in subjects allied to agriculture like horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Forestry, Dairy, Veterinary, Poultry farming and fisheries.
Features of the scheme
The ceiling of project cost for individual projects will be Rs. 10.00 lakhs. The ceiling of project cost for group projects would be 10.00 lakhs per trained graduates, subject to an overall ceiling of Rs. 50.00 lakhs. In case of groups having five persons, of which one is non-agriculture graduate (management professionals, normally MBAs considered), the ceiling of such group projects would also be Rs.50.00 lakhs.In the case of loans up to Rs. 5.00 Lakhs, no margin money is required as per present norms. However, loans above this limit, the margin money to be contributed by the entrepreneur will be as per the prevailing norms. Credit linked capital subsidy @ 25% of the capital cost of the project funded through bank loan would be eligible. This subsidy would be 33.33% in respect of candidates belonging to SC, ST, Women and other disadvantaged sections and those from North-Eastern and Hill States.

In addition, full interest subsidy would be eligible for the first two years of the project.Delivery of Extension services shall be the main component of ACABC projects for availing of the benefit of subsidy under the scheme. Commercial activities in agriculture and allied sectors may, on a case-by-case basis, considered as eligible component of ACABC projects with a view to improve their viability

Projects under the scheme may be treated as priority sector, direct financing to agriculture. Interest would be chargeable on borrower’s accounts as per procedure laid down by RBI for direct agricultural advances under priority sector guidelines.

States are encouraged to provide information on all government policies, programs, schemes, etc. to agriprenurs(trained graduates on Agriculture and allied sciences) and also use their services in implementation of extension activities funded by the Government.

Resources:
http://www.agriclinics.net/
http://www.manage.gov.in/

Privatization in Agricultural Extension: A Paradigm Shift in the Policy Perspectives

Private Agricultural extension is gaining prominence in the recent times. This context in agricultural production is getting thrust because of the emerging trends of globalization. The implications of the WTO poise to set the focus on product quality, techno economically feasible cost of production, post harvest value addition, market led extension and cyber applications. These parameters promote the paradigm shift in the policy perspectives. To meet the demands of the emerging global scenario of the food security, the production trends need to be harmonized. The broad global macro economic scenario depicts that higher the expense on food is lesser the prosperity or increased poverty.

The need for the harmonious production pushes the extension service providers as the predominant economic stake holders in food and agricultural production.

Governments across the world have their policies for a sustainable production. As MANAGE puts it, Inability of the Public Extension to reach the farmers effectively makes space for private participation in agricultural extension. The following info from MANAGE draws keen interest.

The extension worker: farmer ratio is very wide in India (1: 1000). The ratio further widens due to

1. At least, 25 percent of extension workers are administrations /

Supervisors and they are not directly in touch with farmers.

2. With remaining extension workers, at least 50 percent of the time is spent in administrative work, official correspondence, reports and Traveling

3. Excluding the leave period, holidays, an extension worker in government sector need attends office for about 250 days in a year.

When we stand on the fact that agricultural extension professionals are the effective stake holders in food and agricultural production, the info above is disturbing. The widening gap between the farmer and agricultural extension services from the governmental organizations provides niche for the role of private or self employed agricultural extension practitioners.

Ref: MANAGE Resources