Agricultural technology management agency (ATMA)
Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) is one of the innovationstechnology dissemination components of National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) functions as a registered society at District level and serves as a focal point for integrating
research and extension activities and helps in decentralizing the management of agricultural
technology transfer. The members of ATMA include the representatives of Department of
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture, and Fisheries. Each research-extension unit would
retain its institutional identity and the management committee of ATMA would plan extension
activities. At present ATMA is in operation in twenty-four district spread over six states viz.,
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Maharashtra, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
Objectives
The objectives of ATMA are:
1. To strengthen research – extension – farmer linkages
2. To provide an effective mechanism for co-ordination and management of activities of
different agencies involved in technology adaption / validation and dissemination at the
district level and below.
3. To increase the quality and type of technologies being disseminated.
4. To move towards shared ownership of the agricultural technology system by key
shareholders.
5. To develop new partnerships with the private institutions including NGOs.
Constitution
Under ATMA, there is a provision for Governing Board which functions as a policy
making body and provides guidance as well as reviews progress and functioning of ATMA. A
separate Management Committee constituted under ATMA would be responsible for planning
and reviewing of the day to day activities. The composition and key functions of Governing
Board and Management Committee as per ICAR (1998), NATP document are given below.
ATMA Governing Board
Composition
1. District magistrate / Collector Chairman
2. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vice-Chairman
3. Joint Director / Deputy Director (Agri.) Member
4. A member from ZRS / KVk "
5. One farmer representative "
6. One livestock producer "
7. One horticulture farmer "
8. Representative of women farmer interest group "
9. One SC/ST farmer representative "
10. A Representative of NGO "
11. Lead Bank Officer of the District "
12. A representative of NGO "
13. Representative of Input Supply Association "
14. Representative if Input Supply Association "
15. Project Director of ATMA "
16. One Fisheries / Sericulture representative Member-Secretary-Cum Treasurer member
Key functions:
The Key function of ATMA Governing Board would include the following functions
and tasks.
1. Review and approve strategic and annual work plans that are prepared and submitted by
the participating units.
2. Receive and review annual reports carried out by the participating units, providing
feedback and direction to the participating units, a needed, about the various research and
extension activities being carried out within the district.
3. Receive and allocate project funds to carry out priority research, extension and related
activities within the District.
4. Foster the organization and development of farmer's interest groups and farmers
organization within the district.
5. Facilitate the greater involvement of private sector and firms and organizations in providing
inputs, technical support, agro-forestry and marketing services to farmers.
6. Encourage agriculture lending institutions to increase the availability of capital to
resource poor and marginal farmers, especially children and women farmers.
7. Encourage each line department, plus the KVK and ZRS to establish farmer advisory
committee to provide feedback and input into their respective research and extension
programme.
8. Enter into contract and agreements as appropriate to promote and support agricultural
development activity within district.
9. Identify other sources of financial support that would help ensure the financial
sustainability of ATMA and its participating units.
10. Establishing revolving funds / accounts for each participating unit, and encourage each
unit to make available technical services, such as artificial insemination or soil testing, on
a cost recovery basis moving towards full cost recovery in a phased manner.
11. Arrange for the periodic audit of ATMA's financial accounts and
12. Adopt and amend the rules and by-laws for the ATMA.
Key functions
The key functions and taks to be carried out by the ATMA management committee
would include the following:
1. Carry out periodic Participatory Rural Appraisal to identify the problems and constraints
faced by different socio-economic groups and farmers within the district.
2. Prepare an integrated, strategic technology plan for the district that would specify short
and medium term adaptive research as well as technology validation and refinement and
extension priorities for the district, these priorities should reflect the important farmer's
constraints, identified during the PRA.
3. Prepare annual work plans that would be submitted to ATMA Governing Board for
review position, modification and approval.
4. Maintain appropriate project accounts for submission to technology dissemination unit
for audit purposes.
5. Coordinate the execution of this annual work plan through participant line departments,
ZRS, KVKs, NGOs, FIGs /FOs and allied institutions, including private sector firms.
6. Establish coordinating mechanism at the block level, such as Farmer Advisory Centre,
that would integrate extension and technology transfer activities at the block and village
levels.
7. Provide annual performance reports to the Governing Board outlining the various
research, extension and related activities that were actually carried out, including target
achieved.
8. Provide secretariat to governing board and initiate action or policy direction, investment
decision and other guidance received from the board.
Salient Features of ATMS
1. Creating Farmer Advisory Committee to improve feed back.
2. Using NGOs to organize farmers.
3. Encouraging private sector involvement in technology transfer.
4. Validation and refining technologies through research units in the district.
5. Bottom up planning procedure.
6. Increased use of Information Technology (ARIS, WWW)
7. In-service training to increase staff competence.
8. Developing new Public-Private partnerships.
