Agriculture

Role & Functionality of Department:

The Department of Agriculture has been created mainly to provide Agricultural Extension services to farmers and to transfer the latest technical knowledge to the farming community, introduction of high yielding varieties, laying demonstrations, imparting training to farmers to improve skills & knowledge to boost up the agricultural Production and productivity and to reduce the cost of cultivation.The other objectives of the Department are to assess requirements of agriculture inputs well in advance and to regulate their production and monitor timely supply of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, implements, credit etc., to farmers.The Department also performs the statutory functions under various acts and regulations (i.e., quality control) to ensure supply of quality inputs i.e., Seeds, Fertilizers and Pesticides to farmers and implementation of Dangerous Machines Regulation Act.The Department also carries out certain other facilitating functions such as :

1. Soil testing
2. Soil and Water Conservation
3. Soil Survey
4. Credit Assessment / Arrangements
5. Media Production
6. Training to farmers
7. Arranging P.P. Campaigns /Diagnostic team visits whenever necessary
8. Monitoring and Evaluation
9. Disaster Management
10. Crop Insurance
11. Agricultural Mechanization
12. Extending Technical Assistance to various Agencies.

ORGANOGRAM:

The Headquarter of Agriculture department is located at Machilipatnam. HOD is named as Joint Director of Agriculture. JDA is assisted by DDAs, ADAs, AO (tech), Administrative officer, Supts, SAs, JAs, Typist, Record Assistants, Driver, Office sub-ordinates, Messengers and Watchmen at District Level.
Farmers Training Centre located at Vijayawada , headed by DDA and assisted by ADAs, AOs, SAs, JAs, Record Assistants, Driver, Office sub-ordinates, Messengers and Watchmen,  imparts need based training to farmers and  extension functionaries on modern agriculture technology and various schemes of Agriculture Department.
Quality seeds are made available to farmers by multiplication of Breeder/Foundation seed of the paddy & Blackgram at the State Seed Farm, Ghantasala. The ADA is the Head of the Farm assisted by AO, AEO & Office sub-ordinate.
Soil Testing Laboratory located at Gollapudi, Vijayawada is headed by ADA and assisted by AOs, AEO, SA, Messengers etc.,  provides soil test based recommendations to farmers for improving soil fertility, soil health and economic returns to the farmers and strengthen soil testing facilities through  AMC level STLs located at Machilipatnam, Gudivada, Nandigama, Nuzvid.
Biological Control Laboratory located at Ibrahimpatnam headed by ADA  and assisted by AOs, AEO and Junior assistant involves in production of Trichoderma, Pseudomanas and Trichocards  to promote integrated best management for major crops i.e paddy, cotton, pulses etc.
The ADAs (Regular) are implementing various Agriculture department schemes at divisional level located at each Agricultural division in 16 divisions of Krishna district. The ADA (R) is assisted by Agricultural Officer (Tech.), Senior Assistant, Junior Assistant, Record Assistant, Office sub-ordinate, Messenger and Watchman.
The MAO’s located at each Mandal Headquarters in 50 mandals of Krishna district. The MAOs are assisted by AEOs and MPEOs at Village level. The MAO’s primary role is to aid farmers to make better decisions to  increase agriculture production  and implementing the  departmental schemes . Extension officers constantly armed with the latest technologies and information related to agriculture and relay this information to the farmers.

SCHEMES/ACTIVITIES/ACTION PLAN:

Soil Health Card Scheme:

The scheme is viable from since 2015 to till to date. Under this scheme government plans to analyse the soil samples and  to issue soil health cards to farmers which will carry crop-wise recommendations of nutrients and fertilizers to help farmers to improve productivity through judicious  use of inputs.

Distribution of Seed on subsidy:

Quality seed of various Green manure crops like Daincha, Pillipesara and Sunhemp, General seeds like Paddy, Blackgram, Greengram, Bengalgram, Redgram, Groundnut, Sesamum etc., are under distribution to farmers on subsidy.

Seed Village Scheme:

The Seed Village Scheme ensures supply of quality foundation seed of notified varieties to the famers in time at their places at affordable prices besides ensuring quick multiplication of new seed varieties in a shorter time in that Mandal / district based on the crop situation. Various crop seed supplying agencies with good quality foundation seed on 50% subsidy is supplied for paddy and on 60% subsidy for pulses/Groundnut crops.

Integrated Nutrient Management:

Zinc sulphate, Gypsum, Boron were supplied under 50% subsidy in areas of micronutrient deficiency is noticed in the SHCs to increase productivity of crops based on the soil test fertilizer recommendations.

Fertilizers:

AP Marked is the Nodal agency identified by the Government for distribution of fertilizers to the Institutions like PACS & DCMS. Out of the rake point stocks received by the district, 50% of fertilizers allotted to APMARKFED for re-allotment to PACS/DCMS and remaining 50% to private dealers as per the allotment orders given by the District Collector.

Aadhar enabled Fertilizer Distribution System (AeFDS):

For the first time in India, AeFDS is implemented in 974 fertilizer outlets in Krishna district. The basic objectives are to effectively monitor the distribution of fertilizers across the value chain from Manufacturers till farmers, and also to ensure timely and correct distribution of fertilizers based on Aadhar numbers of farmers including tenant farmers. AeFDS is linked with UIDAI server, Web land server and SHC server. Now the AeFDS is going to implement in cashless mode by using Aadhar pay device.

On Farm Extention Demonstrations:

With an objective to encourage the farmers in adoption of best management practices and to obtain increased yields with less cost of cultivation.On Farm Extention Demonstrations @ 10 Ha each is being implemented during Kharif and Rabi seasons in the district. The best practices adopted in the OFEDs plots is disseminated to villagers through conducting field days.

Farm Mechanization:

To encouraging Farm Mechanization in Agriculture by supplying various Farm implements / Plant Protection equipment / High cost machinery / Custom Hiring Stations on subsidy and conducting Farmer trainings for better awareness on various farm machinery, better utilization of available water resources, which facilitates the farmers to take up timely Agricultural operations, reduce the cost on labour, and resulting in improved crop yields.

Polambadi:

The main objective of Polambadi is to reduce the cost of cultivation and increase the productivity duly empowering the farmers to take economical decisions by adopting practices of Integrated crop Management. Integrated Crop Management is an approach to farming which aims to balance production with economic and environmental considerations by means of a combination of measures including crop rotation, cultivations, appropriate crop varieties and careful use of inputs.The main principles of Polambadi are
Grow a healthy crop
Conserve natural enemies
Conduct regular (weekly)field observations
Farmers understand ecology as expert in their own field
The Polambadi programme is being done from seed to seed, so that the participants can observe and analyze the dynamics of crop ecology across the season. Field observations will be done on any fixed day of the week.

“YSR RYTHU BHAROSA – PM KISAN”:

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has launched “YSR Rythu Bharosa- PM KISAN” on 15^th October, 2019. The YSR Rythu Bharosa Scheme is basically a welfare scheme for farmer under which financial assistance will be provided to the farmers of the state.The financial assistance of Rs. 50,000/- to the farmers of the state of Andhra Pradesh Rs.13,500/- per year will be given to each family of the farmers from the starting second year.Under Rythu Bharosa Scheme, land holder farmers owning up to 5 acres will be given with an annual benefit of Rs. 13,500/- . Landless cultivators or tenant farmers from SC,ST, BC and minority groups are also eligible for the incentive . The amount includes the annual benefit of Rs.6000 per family provided by the Central under the PM KISAN Yojana.

Rythu Bharosa Kendralu (RBKs):

Rythu Bharosa Kendram Will be One Stop Shop for supply of Government Certified Agri Inputs (Seeds, Fertilizers & Pesticides), Animal Husbandry & Fisheries Inputs to the farmers and will have an attached workshop / Knowledge Center for giving scientific Agri Advisories to the farmers. Government proposed to establish One Rythu Bharosa Kendram in each Gram Panchayat. The total Rural mandals in the District  are 49. It is proposed to establish Rythu Bharosa Kendram at every Village secretariat with a roll out plan by establishing 245 Rythu Bharosa Kendralu @ 5 RBKs per mandal. In addition to RBKs it is proposed to establish 5 Hubs (Godowns) in the district for stocking the Agri Inputs.  Agri Input Shop in RBK shall make available multi-brand Quality Agricultural inputs to farmers at right price, right time at their Village Secretariats. It is a Virtual Shop with a Digital Kiosk for taking orders from interested farmers. Model products shall be  on display in these Virtual shops.

National Food Security Mission(NFSM):

Increasing production of Rice, Pulses & Cotton through area expansion, restoring soil fertility, enhancing farm level economy to restore confidence amongst the farmers and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner in the identified mandals of Krishna district.

National Mission on Oil Seed Oil Palm Production(NMOOP)

The NMOOP envisages increase in Production of vegetable oils sourced from Oilseeds, Oil palm. It is one of the flagship scheme launched by GoI.

Natural Farming:

Natural Farming is being implemented in 10 identified clusters in 8 mandals, now 15 clusters will be extended in 8 mandals in the district. It is introduced creation of viable and sustainable farm livelihoods to reduce cost of cultivation on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. To encouraging the farmers to cultivate with kasayams, leaves & organic fertilizers to creating income generating along with healthy crop produce with available resources.

Organic Farming:

Vermicompost, Vermi-hatcheries and Vermibeds are supplied to farmers on subsidy to enhance soil fertility and obtain healthy crop produce. Certain villages are identified in each season and cultivate for 3 years continuously in the same piece of land for certification of organic produce.

EMAIL ADDRESS :-

agrikri[at]nic[dot]in;jdakri[dash]ap[at]nic[dot]in

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