3. INDIAN AGRICULTURE - PRESENT SCENARIO
Diversified agro-climatic condition, potential to
cultivate vast range of agricultural produce.
Increase in production from 50 million tonnes (1951)
to 252 million tonnes (2011-12).
Subsistence to commercial agriculture.
First in pulses, tea, jute & milk and second in rice,
wheat, fruit & vegetables.
WTO regime- Global market access opportunities.
4. Why KG&KD
Application of new knowledge is important ……..
Currently renewed emphasis……..Focussing on a broader interpretation
of knowledge (types, integration)
Productivity/Yield gaps- 2nd
Green Revolution-knowledge on new
generation technologies
Sustainable resource use – knowledge on how to bring about
collective decisions on resource use
Trade liberalisation; quality management- knowledge on organised
& efficient marketing
Climate change- knowledge for anticipation and adaptation
Soaring food prices- policy relevant knowledge to anticipate and
adjust demand, supply and access
Reform organisations to deal with new challenges- knowledge on
how to promote institutional
learning & change 4
5. 5
It provides an opportunity for agricultural stake holders to
evaluate the current state of research, generate ideas
The system develops more powerful insights with particular
emphasis on institutional redesign for knowledge creation and
extension in agriculture.
The importance of the KGS and KDS are…..
Interpret contemporary patterns of change in agricultural
research and extension in the context of future requirements
Integrate consideration of knowledge generation, technology
transfer and extension processes
Explore methodologies processes of innovation and valuation
of knowledge
Develop institutional innovation mechanisms and designs for a
21st century agriculture
8. Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems
(AKIS)
An Agricultural Knowledge and Information System links
people and institutions to promote mutual learning and
generate, share and utilize agriculture-related
technology, knowledge and information
The focus is not on research or on extension, but on
innovation and on the institutional arrangements that can
favor it.
9. AIS
“The transformation of an idea into a new or
improved product introduced on the market or a
new improved operational process used in
industry and commerce or into a new approach
to a social service.”
12. Elements
The political will to promote agriculture in
general and agricultural knowledge systems
more specifically
An institutional environment that is
conducive to the flow of knowledge, to
collaboration, experimentation and
implementation of innovations
13. Continued
A well articulated demand for new knowledge and technology.
The effective supply of new knowledge and technology
If research produces lots of new knowledge, but results are not used,
the investments in the research system are in vain
If demands for new technologies are not recognized, it is hard to see
how the right type of innovations can be generated
14. Sector landscape: Actors, Programmes and
Strategies
RESEARCH SYSTEM- Public sector
Mainly SAU + ICAR system- focus on most important crops,
livestock and fishery species (also agricultural education)
Extensive collaboration with CGIAR centres
Commodity Boards
CSIR (medicinal plants, post harvest)
MAJOR FOCUS
Technology development- (germplasm, varietal/breed improvement, soil
and water, power and machinery, processing) and Socio-economics)
Transfer of technology- mainly limited but with exceptions
14
15. CONT…..
PUBLIC SECTOR-Extension
MoA- Formulation of national policies and schemes, support to training
State line departments: mainly SDoA, DoAH, DoF
ATMAs- mechanism for district level convergence
Krishi Vigyan Kendras
Ministry of Rural Development, PRI- enterprise development and
employment programmes
MAJOR FOCUS
Line departments- Scheme implementation-delivery of inputs and
subsidies
KVKs- on-farm trials, demonstrations, training
ATMA- additional funding for field extension activities- exposure visits,
trainings
15
16. CONT…..
Private Sector
Contributes 15% of agricultural R&D
Input sector (seeds, fertiliser, pesticides, machinery)
More recently growth in plant breeding, biotechnology, animal
health and poultry
MAJOR FOCUS
Technology development
Transfer of technology- (product promotion-
demonstrations)Input dealers as an important source of
information
Integrated support by agri-business (inputs, supervision and
markets as part of contract farming arrangements)
16
17. CONT…..
CSOs
Research Foundations, NGOs, producer
associations/co-operatives
Many have pro-poor orientation, NGOs vary widely in
terms of their reach, technical capacity and credibility
Broader approach to innovation- (generation, adaptation,
diffusion and application of new knowledge)
INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS (FICCI, CII, ICC)
Major Focus- Influences/shapes policy changes
Media- Print, Radio and Television
FARMER to FARMER
17
18. CONT…..
DONORS
Agricultural Research
World Bank- National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP)
promoting collaboration and reforms
Indo-US Knowledge Initiative - Biotechnology and food processing
FAO- plant protection, pro-poor livestock, food quality, fisheries,-
specific technical assistance to states on request- “solution
exchanges”-sharing knowledge
USAID- bio-safety regulations, biotechnology, reform of agricultural
markets
Broader Livelihood focus
DFID -Rural Livelihood programmes
IFAD-rural development, tribal development, NRM, women
empowerment, rural finance- capacity development
18
19. Key observations
Several organizations, involved. but…….
Most of them focus on technology generation and dissemination
Many other functions needed for knowledge application unattended (knowledge
brokering, technology integration, links with other support services, handholding
support for enterprise development etc)
Most of these organisations work in isolation and have weak links with other
intermediaries and knowledge users related to credit, inputs, market, value
addition, entrepreneurship development and policy
Co-ordination at all levels (from district to sector levels) continues to remain a
major challenge
Manpower issues- vacancies, lack of new knowledge/skills,
Less resources for livestock and fisheries research, Concerns on SAU’s
financial situation
19
20. Weaknesses, gaps and implementation hurdles
Broadly two sets of issues
INSTITUTIONAL – ways of working
RESOURCE RELATED
Institutional
Isolation, mistrust, narrow mandate and evaluation norms, weak
accountability, lack of co-ordination
Complementary knowledge remain locked in different
organisations
Other activities needed for knowledge application remain
unattended
20
21. Weaknesses, gaps and implementation hurdles
RESOURCE (Expertise, manpower and finances)
Expertise
New science/technologies/themes- Nanotechnology, precision agriculture,
bio-safety testing, high-tech horticulture, climate change
New approaches- Innovation systems perspectives, linking poor to markets,
promoting public private partnerships, IPR management, enterprise
development, sector co-ordination and governance structures, producer
companies, designing pilots, experimenting and lesson learning
Manpower
Less manpower for Livestock and Fisheries
Vacancies (30-40%) for field extension
Lack of new expertise (community mobilisation, market development,
enterprise development)
Finances
Limited funds, (only 0.35% of AgGDP)
Poor financial status of SAUs
Limited operational funds for extension
21
22. Current initiatives and their limitations
Institutional (ways of working)
NAIP- promoting consortia with private and civil society
actors through funding research; internal
reforms(information, communication, technology management, IPR, learning,
capacity building)
ATMA trying to promote public-private partnerships in
extension; district agricultural planning (RKVY also)
RKVY and ATMA trying to bring about some covergence at
the district level
Limitations
Beyond these central initiatives, very little progress on the ground at the state level
on
Experimenting with new approaches
Bring about policy reforms in research and extension
Training staff at new ways of doing things
Learning from existing new initiatives 22
23. Current initiatives and their limitations
Resources (expertise, manpower, finances)
Few training programmes for staff on new sciences
Additional funds for research through NAIP
Additional funds for extension- ATMA, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas
Yojana (RKVY/NADP)
Limitations
Lack of sufficient opportunities/programmes for HRD in new
sciences
No provision for improving expertise on new approaches
Additional funding is sub-optimally used due to limited
capacity in implementation 23
24. Improving performance- some views
Need for strengthening the sector by good communication skills.
Increasing application of biotechnology, ICTs, nanotechnology
Inclusiveness, sustainability, markets
New skills/expertise (organisational development, market
development, enterprise promotion)
Greater resources for HRD (teaching, research, extension)-
increase resources for Agricultural research and education to 1% of
AgGDP)
Promote public-private partnerships; institutional reforms in
research and extension 24
25. Promote new ways of working
Adding value to existing initiatives:
NAIP consortias,
public-private partnerships in research and
extension,
experiments on decentralisation and producer
empowerment (producer co-operatives in DPIP,MP);
pro-poor innovation from CSOs (organic farming,
integrated sector support, linking poor to markets);
Support lesson learning (evaluation studies, drawing principles, use these to
experiment and mainstream useful approaches);
25
26. Support macro-institutional and policy changes
Support lesson learning and evaluation of institutional
innovations and link this to policy
New ways of funding and delivery of research (research
consortia)
Reform laws on co-operatives and markets (Producer companies)
Decentralisation - (District planning, RKVY, ATMA)
Contract farming arrangements- integrated service delivery
New forms of development organisations (KHDP/VFPCK)
Pro-poor livestock policy development (FAO-PPLPI)
26
27. Support macro-institutional and policy changes
New initiatives
Facilitate Change Management Process (similar to CGIAR)
Support policy reviews
Experiment with new sector co-ordination mechanisms
Support organisations with business planning and development
Training on new ways of organising research and extension (eg:
FAO Extension Reform Course-targetted at policy/senior
management level)
Introduce learning based monitoring mechanisms
27
28. Implications
The supply of new knowledge and technology based
more on demand
The collaborative development of new knowledge and
technologies and increased practical application of
potential knowledge
Greater attention to non-research based strategies such
as creative imitation
The improved flow of new knowledge and technologies
towards potential users.
29. Continued
The public sector must continue to lead the
research efforts in areas where weak incentives
for private investment exist, like in basic
research, socioeconomic and environmental
issues and food safety
The structure of private-public interactions, and
the relevant institutional environment in which
such interactions occur, have meaningful effects
on their efficiency and effectiveness
30. Conclusion
The new agricultural knowledge system
must also adapt to the emerging economic
and scientific realities.
The distance from the laboratory bench to
the consumer table has been shortened.
The process of knowledge transfer has
become more transparent.
31. References
Giri,D.K.(2002).Defining Technology for Rural Development for 21st
century,Kurukshetra,48(9):2-5.
Kumari,K. (2000).Technology Blending,Agricultural Extension
Review,12(1):26-27.
Rajalahti, R., Janssen, W. and Pehu, E. 2008. Agricultural Innovation
System: from diagnostics to operational practices. Agriculture and Rural
Development Discussion Paper 38. The World Bank, Washington, D.C.
Rajalahti, R., Woelcke, J. and Pehu, E. 2005. Development of Research
Systems to Support the Changing Agricultural Sector. Proceedings.
Agriculture and Rural Development Discussion Paper 14.
http://www.fao.org/sd/2001/KN1007_en.htm
Planning Commission (XIth plan approach paper, Working group reports for
XIth Plan (research, extension)
NCF Reports; NKC Report on Knowledge Applications in agriculture
ICAR documents (NATP and NAIP)
NCAP workshop on institutional change, NAAS workshop on institutional
reforms
World Bank (2007) Enhancing Agricultural Innovation
