Sixty state level collaborative training courses has been planned for the current year including nine in Tamil Nadu, five in Rajasthan, 11 in Madhya Pradesh, four in Sikkim, 13 in Gujarat for horticulture, six in UP, seven in Himachal Pradesh and five in Andhra Pradesh for fisheries. Besides 14 crop specific extension courses has been planned for funding solely by Centre in different states.

The Centre has also planned 26 extension training for watershed development, 18 extension courses for developing HRD, 10 courses for plant protection, two courses for selection and use of agricultural machineries, 23 courses for horticulture, 12 courses for animal husbandry and fisheries, eight courses for oilseeds and nine courses for fertiliser use.

The new policy is aimed at lessening the burden on states by providingtravelling allowances to the trainees and at the same time making state governments and agricultural universities accountable for the programmes set with definite target. One time grant has been proposed by the Centre for upgrading the extension training infrastructure in the states or agricultural universities. Both the on-campus and off-campus training of agriculture officials, functionaries and NGOs will be conducted keeping in view the requirements of different geo-climatic areas and soci-economic conditions of the farmers.

The new policy will aim at providing extension efforts for credit and marketing so that the farmers could easily interact with the changing domestic and global trade environment in the era of globalisation. Greater participation of NGOs and corporate houses will be sought in the scheme of things. Separate mechanisms will be created at national, state and district levels for different groups to plan and implement strategies in an interactive mode and putting in place a chain ofinformation shops at least at block level to service the requirement of the farming community.

Interface mechanism between research and extension will be strenthened and also the extension services will be broad based so as to include women farmers and small and marginal farmers. Extension work will be carried not necessarily on any technological innovations, but only on those technological innovations which are suited to the geo-climatic conditions of the area and socio-economic conditions of the farmers.

The extension functionaries will be equiped with the latest knowledge and skills related to management, communications and technical skills.

The World Bank aided National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) is slated to address crucial issues of extension 6 selected states through pilot projects.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has already launched a massive programme of connecting 832 institutions including agricultural research centres, krishi vigyan kendras, regionalstations and state agricultural universities with the updated agricultural information network within next three years. This scheme is being covered under the the project known as Agricultural Research Information System (ARIS). It is designed to provide faster and greater access to informaqtion in agriculture scientists, extension workers and farmers.

The project will provide access to research workers to the best and latest information available with institutes and libraries all over the world.

The project will also lay the foundation of the distance education programme to the farmers through krishi vigyan kendras in the proper use of inputs, integrated pest management and information on new seeds and cropping patterns. Faster feedback from public would also be obtained through this system on problems related to agriculture and progress of various projects and would also save duplication in research and extension by ensuring better coordination.

According to the new agriculture policy extension workwill focus on aspects like technologies to break the stagnation in agricultural output in certain specific areas, technologies for dryland farming which account for almost two-third of the country's cultivated land, technologies for diversification of farming systems for employment and income generation and in high value commercial crops and development of sustainable agricultural practices that preserve natural resources while enhancing productivity.

It will also focus on the provision of knowledge-based technology as opposed to material-based technology, forging new partnership between public institutions, technology users and corporate sector, improving links between research and extension and securing greater farmers' participation in determining future extension agendas and to ensure financial sustainability of extension systems.