Objectives

Authorities

The Directorate of Extension Education has been striving to undertake the extension activities in an innovative manner. The efforts made so far have resulted into a number of successes, which could be the major achievements, as follows :

Project entitled "Transfer of Integrated crop management Technologies developed by VNMKV, Parbhani" under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) is in operation since Rabi 2011. Budget outlay of the project was Rs.575 lakh (Rupees Five hundred seventy five lakhs only) for the period of three years i.e. 2011-12 to 2013-14. The same project was continued for the year 2014-15. The New TOT project with similar objectives was sanctioned for the period of next three years (2015-16 to 2017-18) with budget out lay of Rs. 460.00 lakhs. Under this project demonstrations were conducted on the farmers’ field through cluster approach and recommended technologies were demonstrated on farmer’s field. 1000 to 1200 demonstration on important crops of the region are organized during every season. Various extension programmes and exposure visits are also organized for benefit of farmers. The results of project helped in increasing knowledge and skill of the farmers and increased adoption of university technologies by the farmers. The beneficiaries were further disseminated university technologies to other farmers. Efforts made through RKVY extension programmes also resulted in to multiplier effect reaching the demonstrated technologies in vicinity.

Special extension campaign "Vidyapeeth Apalya Dari, Tantradnyan Shetawari" was launched by university and is in operation since last five year.

The campaign was launched with the objective to educate farmers on crop production technology, to boost up the productivity of different crops specially pulses and oilseeds, to solve the problems of farmers on the spot and to generate hope among farmers. Under this programme a team of experienced scientists visited villages as per the pre-decided schedule. The farmers appreciated the programme for its direct utility to them. The responsibility of launching the progrmme was shouldered to ATIC Manager and Extension Agronomists with the involvement of experts from different Colleges and Research Stations.

Due to continuous natural calamities like drought, heavy rains and hailstorms, farmers in Marathwada have been loosing crops in the last five years. Number of farmers have been committing suicide in all the eight districts of the region. In order to avoid the farmers suicide and to encourage the farmers not to take such extreme step and to give moral support, VNMKV has launched an innovative programme “UMED” since December, 2014. The University scientists visited villages and with the help of school students organized “Prabhat Pheri”. The school students marched through streets holding placards in Prabhat Pheri which give courage and reassurance to the farmers and giving a hope in future.

Scientists diagnosed location specific problems of farmers and recommended to adopt low cost, risk minimizing technologies developed by the university for sustainable farming. Under this programme more than 400 villages were covered from 76 talukas of the region till to date.

H.E. Shri. C. Vidyasagar Rao, Governor, Maharashtra State during his visit to university and Osmanabad district appreciated the programme.

The university is implementing CROPSAP and Hort-SAP Projects for monitoring the pest incidence on major crops of the region in order to avoid the outbreak of pest. Similarly management advice is also given twice in a week for each taluka. The programme has appreciated by the farmers. This is an unique ICT based programme involving different government agencies. The project has received e-Governance award at national level.

State Department of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra organized special campaign "Unnat Sheti Samrudh Shetakari" during 25th May to 8th June,2017 with the objective to increase the farm production. University constituted teams of scientists at block level for providing training and technical guidance to the farmers and extension workers. District & Divisional level committees monitored the whole campaign.

State Department of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra also organized "Krishi Jagruti Sapthah" during 1st July to 7th july every yearon the eve of Krishi Din. University scientists organized various extension activities in coordination with the State Department of Agriculture during the week.

The various programmes implemented by Directorate of Extension have helped in disseminating the knowledge of recent technologies/recommendations given by the university scientists to farmers for adoption. The results are more prominent in the adoption of improved varieties and other management technologies in general in most of the crops. The trainings/workshops, farmers rallies, arranged to different beneficiaries has also helped in disseminating the new technologies up to the farmers. In general the extension work helped in the adoption of IPM, INP & increasing production and productivity in many crops particularly pulses, oilseeds and cereals. The socio-economic status of farming community of the region is improved to a greater extent due to continuous extension efforts under taken by the University.