Atharva Manohar Desai

Agricultural production and its marketing are interrelated activities and MACP addresses these firstly by improving agricultural extension system (ATMA model), and secondly by providing upgraded marketing infrastructure which will be made accessible by traditional as well as alternative marketing channels. Besides these interventions, the competitiveness of the farmer will be improved by capacity building. The sustainability of agriculture will improve because of all these interventions. Considering the scope of further improving sustainability of agriculture, value addition to agriculture produce is most important critical factor. Development of various business activities either supporting agriculture or based on agriculture production will add to the income of the farmers. It is therefore proposed to include the Agri-business Promotion Facility (ABPF) as a Sub-Component under this Project.

The manpower involved  in operations and management  of infrastructure  created under Component B of this Project including non officials in management and executive cadre and other personnel will have to be provided with technical and management skills for operations & management of the facilities created. The ABPF will have the main role to train these personnel. Besides this number of studies would be undertaken by ABPF which will also include three studies relating to development of dairy marketing, development of fisheries marketing and agricultural insurance. The findings of these studies will be reviewed at the time of first Mid Term Review (MTR) and assessment will be done whether to include these activities under this Project after for financial support. These studies will be contracted out. The staff of ABPF with the support of PCU will prepare ToRs for the work and take technical oversight role. The responsibility of contracting will be that of PCU. Two additional activities will be supported under ABPF viz.

• A process for facilitating Maharashtra Agri. Business and Producers Organisation to access Government Of India (GoI) grants and
• A process for the review, discussions and development of improved designs for wholesale markets and Rural Haats. ABPF will have a major role in facilitating greater state utilisation of GoI marketing grants.

ABPF is proposed on contract basis. It will function till the Project period is over. However, by the end of fourth year an independent cell will be established in MSAMB for similar functions as ABPF. This cell will get hand holding from fourth year as it will work in close guidance of ABPF consultancy under the project. At present MSAMB has got project and consultancy cell with some expertise. This will be strengthened by providing additional expertise so that this cell can function as ABPF after the project period. Besides Project cell in H.O.of MSAMB, it is proposed to have Project Advisers /Project Facilitators in Regional Offices of MSAMB. At the District level there would be panel of Agri-business/ Agri Marketing Advisers with ATMA or District Deputy Registrars of Co-operative Societies.

Twenty Live Stock Markets (LSMs) and four Small Ruminants (SR) Markets would be strengthened under the Project. Such markets need marketable surplus and market development. This would be achieved as follows:

• Marketable surplus through sustainable and rapid growth and development of livestock sector can be ensured if due attention is paid to providing extension support to live stock farmers. At present extension manpower with Animal Husbandry Department is inadequate. The Shortcoming could be addressed by functioning of lady link workers in this sphere.
• Similarly Small Ruminant Farmers are spread across and are not able to improve their financial status in isolation. However if such farmers are brought together in a group and trained for the healthcare of the animals their problems would be better addressed, creating healthy marketable surplus.
• Consumption of Meat in Metropolitan cities has increased tremendously. However the trade of such meat does not take place in good hygienic conditions. Considering the huge demand for consumption of meat, a study of meat trade in Pune will deal with issues of setting of modern slaughter house, ensuring future demand for livestock and value added products.
• Unlike for agricultural crops, database for livestock is not available. Considering the huge production and trading of livestock there is an imperative need to collect and compile such data for its dissemination. Dissemination of market information through a specialized cell is therefore proposed under this component.

All ATMAs and Government Training Institutions of the line departments are considered for strengthening under the Project.
For improving market-led extension in Maharashtra, an assessment of ATMAs have indicated the need for strengthening ATMAs in terms of manpower, physical facilities and financial support; and promoting inter-departmental coordination at the state, district, taluka and village levels. The activities to be supported under this sub-component include:

• Strengthening of ATMAs
• Strengthening of Farm Information and Advisory Centers (FIACs)
• Strengthening of Inter-Departmental Working Group (IDWG) and Inter-Departmental Coordination

This component takes an integrated approach toward enabling farmers in the Project command area to take advantage of rapidly changing consumer demand and marketing channels. This will include diversification of their farm production, introduction of enhanced productivity and post-harvest technologies and empowering farmers to better understand, adapt and actively be able to seek out and access new and alternative markets.
 
This will be achieved by:

• Building on the existing ATMA agricultural extension program and making it more profit- and market-oriented
• Establishing an Agri-Business Promotion Facility (ABPF) to promote producer-buyer supply linkages
• Generating and disseminating accurate and timely market information
• Providing livestock support services for strengthening an important source of income for farmers

This component will have four sub-components;

1. Market- led agricultural technology transfer
2. Agribusiness promotion facility
3. Market information services
4. Livestock support services

Preparation & Implementation of MSS and SREP: 
All the Districts in Maharashtra have already prepared the District Strategic Research and Extension Plans (SREPs) which include various agricultural extension activities for increasing agriculture, horticulture and live stock production. To give focused attention to market-led extension, each ATMA District would prepare a Marketing Strategy Supplements (MSS) to the SREP. The MSS will be developed under the guidance of experts in marketing extension and agribusiness based in the VANAMATI Nagpur who would be trained and oriented in the concepts and procedures of preparing MSS and market-led extension at the MANAGE, Hyderabad. They would become resource persons to guide, mentor and facilitate District teams to prepare MSSs.

Preparation of MSS in each District would follow following steps in logical sequence:

• Step I: Orientation of District Core Team
• Step II: Training of AES team
• Step III: Data collection, data analysis, identification and prioritization of research, market led extension issues
• Step IV: Developing strategies for market led extension and focusing issues, developing outline /framework for MSS on the basis of the Project thrust area
• Step V: Developing activity schedule and approval of MSS by ATMA

The activities under component B will be kept in view and linkages will be developed with the same for improving the markets. The process of preparing MSS will be led by the Agricultural Marketing Expert in the ATMA and would involve the District level officers of all Line Departments. The District core team after getting training from expert team at VANAMATI would train AES teams involving taluka level officers of all Line Departments in data collection and data analysis. The development of strategies, activity schedule would be carried out by the District core team, under the guidance of state level facilitators. The preparation of MSS would be closely monitored by the PIU of the Line Departments. Necessary guidance and assistance would be provided to the Districts from state level. The process of preparation of MSS of all the Districts will start as soon as possible. The MSSs of 10, 11 and 12 Districts would be completed during the first, second and third phase of the project respectively. The expenditure would be incurred on TA/DA, stationery, hiring of vehicles and other operational costs. The provision for this activity will be made to respective ATMAs.

The SREP and MSS documents will act as a template for setting a direction towards market-led extension and agricultural productivity enhancing activities in the District. Further, these will facilitate resource allocation across program areas. The MSS and SREPs, therefore, would become the basic documents for the development of work plans at village, block and District level. The objective is not to duplicate what is already being supported under the centrally sponsored ATMA (extension reforms) and other schemes, but to fill critical gaps in the on- going schemes with special focus on market-led extension. This will help in making efficient use of the public funds provided by the GOI and GOM, including ‘Support to State Extension Program for Extension Reforms’, ‘National Agricultural Development Plan’ and ‘National Food Security Mission’.

There is a need for improvement in agricultural marketing system by adopting systematic approach and latest technology like Information Technology, for collection and dissemination of Market Information and Intelligence. One of the reasons for lack of returns in agriculture is traditional way of marketing through middlemen and absence of awareness about market information and intelligence. The other reasons are unscientific and inadequate crop planning, crop husbandry, post harvest management and inadequate alternative marketing channels. At present, APMCs are able to disseminate only price information to the farmers related to respective market area only. The scope and coverage of market information dissemination needs to be expanded. Some interventions for the same are proposed under this sub-component. The main objectives of this sub-component are:

• Dissemination of market information without the limit of geographical boundaries. Information from markets in India as well as from International markets will be made available,
• Apart from price data, information on Weather forecast, crop advice, Use of fertilizers & pesticides, and Agricultural technology will be made available,
• The Market Information Services will provide analysis of information and trends in prices, demand on continual basis.

This Sub-Component is proposed to achieve the following:

• Web based Project Management Information System (PMIS): for effective monitoring & evaluation of the Project.
• Integrated  Project  Portal  (IPP)  (enhancement  of  MSAMB  website):  for  providing information about Project activities, PCU, PIUs, Implementing Agencies, Project progress, Market Information and Intelligence, market opportunities (commodity profiles), stake holders and technical information from various line departments at single point access.
• Market  Information  Display:  Effective  dissemination  of price  and  other  necessary information using electronic media like LCD TV within the regulated markets.