About ATMA:

ATMA is a society of key stakeholders involved in agricultural activities for sustainable agriculture development in the district. It is a focal point for integrating Research and Extension activities and decentralizing day to day management of the public Agricultural Technology System (ATS). It is a registered society responsible for technology dissemination at the district level. As a society, it would be able to receive and expend project funds, entering into contracts & agreements and maintaining revolving accounts that can be used to collect fees and thereby recovering operating cost.

            The ATMA at district level would be increasingly responsible for all technology dissemination activities at the district level. It would have linkage with all the line departments, research organization, non-governmental organizations and agencies associated with agricultural development in the district. Research and Extension units with in the project district such as ZRS or substations, KVK and the key line departments of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture and Fisheries etc. would become constituent members of ATMA.  Each Research-Extension (R-E) unit would retain its institutional identity and affiliation but programme and procedures concerning district-wise R-E activities would be determined by ATMA Governing Board to be implemented by its Management committee (MC).

Objectives:

Ø     To identify location specific needs of farming community for farming system based agricultural development;

Ø      To set up priorities for sustainable agricultural development with a Farming Systems Approach;

Ø      To draw plans for production based system activities to be undertaken by farmers/ultimate users;

Ø      To execute plans through line departments, training institutions, NGOs, farmers organizations and allied institutions;

Ø      To coordinate efforts being made by various line departments, NGOs, farmers organizations and allied institutions to strengthen research extension-farmers linkages in the district and to promote collaboration and coordination between various State funded technical departments;

Ø      To facilitate the empowerment of farmers/producers through assistance for mobilization, organization into associations, cooperatives etc. for their increased participation in planning, marketing, technology dissemination and agro-processing etc.

Ø      To facilitate market interventions for value addition to farm produce;