DIRECTORATE OF EXTENSION EDUCATION

Suitable solutions were provided for the queries received from the farmers in person, farm visits and by post, phone calls, SMS, e-mail etc.

As the peripheral centres have all the infrastructure facilities viz. training hall with audio-visual aids, LCD projector, charts, specimen, demonstration units etc., capacity building programmes are being conducted on regular basis for the benefit of farmers, farmwomen and rural youth.

It is often felt difficult by the farmers, farm women and the rural youth to attend the training at the centres owing to their pre-occupation with farming and household activities. To overcome this difficulty and to satisfy the needs of this category of farmers, the centres are also organizing off campus training programmes in the villages and also at farmer’s field.

Tailor-made capacity building programmes structured to impart specific skills especially are being conducted regularly for the beneficiaries of various Government schemes and sponsoring agencies viz. NABARD, ATMA, TNLDA, Pudhu Vazhvu scheme etc.

Extension of services to the village level is another dimension of the activities of the Directorate of Extension Education. By carrying out the following activities at the village, the practical problems of the livestock farmers are being solved.

In this programme, each centre selects one or two villages to a maximum of three villages for two or three years and their demographic, vital and agricultural statistics were analyzed. The areas that need development are identified and the concerned Government departments including the NGOs are collaborated for initiating suitable programmes. Critical inputs were also made available to the farmers to start an economic activity immediately. Under village adoption, services like village level meetings, Mass Contact Programmes, infertility camps, immunization of desi chicken covering the entire village, education, health and sanitation care, tree plantation etc. are being implemented for the benefit of farming community.

On-farm tests provide confirmation of already proven results under real farming situations. Mostly location specific technologies are selected for evaluation in on- farm testing. Suitable farmer's field where the experiments can be carried out will be selected. By means of this programme, the practical field problems of the animal husbandry farmers are solved. The OFT's that are being carried out are assessment of oral pellet vaccine for control of Ranikhet disease in desi chicken, assessment of area-specific mineral mixture for dairy cows, synchronization of estrus in dairy cows etc.

The basic approach of FLD is to demonstrate the proven technologies at the farmers' field. FLDs like preparation of value added meat and milk products, popularization of backyard desi bird rearing, enrichment of paddy straw with urea, integration of livestock and poultry with agro forestry, deworming and periodical vaccination of animals and birds, supplementation of mineral mixture for increased milk production etc. are being regularly conducted.

Farmers like to see how a new idea works, and also what effect it can have on their farm production. A good method demonstration is an invaluable method in extension. Method demonstrations on proper way of milking, cutting of green fodder to avoid wastage, cultivation of azolla, feeding of azolla etc. are being conducted for the benefit of the livestock farmers.

Exhibitions are effective visual medial through which the results of research and development are disseminated effectively. All the centres are equipped with charts, photographs, model, specimen etc. which are displayed in the respective centres for the benefit of the farmers and also utilized to conduct exhibitions during the conduct of various programmes. The Directorate of Extension Education is actively conducting and participating in Regional Exhibitions, Government Fairs, Expos and other Seminars and Workshops.

Awareness campaigns are arranged to create awareness about the recent advances and technologies developed in livestock and Poultry sector that are to be adopted by the farmers for maximizing the production.

Mass contact programmes are being organized through all the peripheral centres during special occasions and festivals and also in collaboration with the Government departments, line departments and NGOs. Guest lectures, method demonstrations, display of technologies, publications and farm implements, provision of veterinary health and clinical services, distribution of pamphlets and booklets and interactive meets to address the difficulties and doubts of the farmers were arranged in the programmes.

The peripheral centres in the extension delivery system of TANUVAS arrange farm visits on a regular basis to disseminate recent technologies developed and specific interventions required in livestock and Poultry sector for containing the cost of productions and maximizing the income.

Exposure visits are arranged for the benefit of the farmers to get hands-on training on important farm technologies and marketing the livestock and poultry products through value addition.

Farm School is an experiential detailed group based learning process. Farm schools each of one to two months duration on various package of practices in livestock and poultry are being conducted by the centres regularly. Farm Schools are conducted at the farm premises of a farmer and days and time of meeting is fixed according to the convenience of the participant farmers.

Field days are conducted regularly and they provide an opportunity to motivate farmers on adoption of a new idea. Field days generally creates a welcome relief to the farmers from their daily hard work.

As a part of extension activities necessary assistance is provided to promote the formation of SHGs especially women SHGs to facilitate linkage with financial and technical institutions for their individual and group development.

Farmers groups such as Farmers Interest Groups, Commodity Interest Groups, Joint Liability Groups, Livestock Breeder’s Associations etc. are being started to create a platform for the farmers to share their knowledge and difficulties.

Useful information and new research findings of the University are printed in the form of leaflets, folders, pamphlets booklets and books on package of practices in livestock and poultry farming and distributed to farmers which ensures wider reach and also facilitate easy storage of information by farmers for future reference.

Useful information and new research findings of the University are printed in the form of leaflets, folders, pamphlets booklets and books on package of practices in livestock and poultry farming and distributed to farmers which ensures wider reach and also facilitate easy storage of information by farmers for future reference.

The Directorate of Extension Education is involved in the preparation of Audio and Video lessons by utilizing the well equipped video laboratory. These audio and video lessons are distributed to the peripheral centres of the University, NGOs and line departments and serve as teaching tools for the farmers and end users.

For further understanding and effective utilization of the available time at the office premises Touch Screen Kiosks, a new initiative using ICT tools were introduced at all the peripheral centres for the benefit of the farmers. These kiosks contain information on package of practices on livestock farming with graphics and video and user friendly menus in Tamil vernacular. Audio background is also added to assist users with reading difficulty.

The modern web based social group platforms like facebook, twitter etc. are utilized for the exchange of information and dissemination of knowledge. The Directorate of Extension Education started an exclusive social media channel, the TANUVAS Social Media Channel on YouTube social media platform to disseminate technical know-how on package of practices, success stories, timely interventions, new technologies etc. for the benefit of the farmers 06.05.2019.

The Directorate of Extension Education also liaisons with the leading dailies, magazines, television channels and Doordarshan and All India Radio and regularly publishes and broadcasts timely information, disease forecasts, newer research findings, success stories etc. Specialized programmes such as Farm Radio Schools comprising of a series of lessons are delivered through the various All India Radio stations in Tamil Nadu for the farmers to acquire in-depth knowledge.

The Agricultural Technology Information Centre established under the financial assistance of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, located at Kattupakkam serves as a single window delivery system of information and services. The centre not only provides regular farm advisory services, training programmes, viable bank projects and disease diagnostic and soil and water testing services the farmers visiting the centre can has access to print and audio and video resources available in the library and also purchase products, critical inputs like different strains of livestock, poultry and fodder seeds, books, CDs etc. developed by the University.

In order to alleviate fodder shortage and achieve self sufficiency in fodder production in Tamil Nadu, the Directorate of Extension Education submitted a scheme to the Government of Tamil Nadu for utilizing the available wastelands and uncultivable dry lands (Meikkal Poromboke) at each district for fodder production.

The centres promote Private-Public-Partnerships by bringing together the farmers, Government Departments and NGOs in augmenting critical inputs required for routine farming activities. The fodder seed bank model for rainfed conditions was successfully implemented at Namakkal in which the farmers grow fodder that not only supports their milch animals but also gets income by selling the excess fodder. The Agriculture Department is collaborated for the purchase of fodder seeds from the farmers and sold to the needy farmers.

Each centre has well equipped laboratory facilities and these facilities are utilized to test feed, soil and water samples and carry out clinical pathological and antibiotic sensitive tests for the benefit of the farmers.

The available faculties in the centres share their expertise with the veterinary professionals in their area in treating difficult and rare cases and also provide necessary service during any outbreak of diseases. Further, clinical services are also provided on need basis to the farmers.

The Directorate of Extension Education provides technical consultancy to the farmers by preparing project reports to set up livestock based enterprises.