Agriculture Technology Information Center (A T I C)

Agriculture Technology Information Center (A T I C)

The importance of an appropriate information package and its dissemination as an input has assumed added emphasis in this “information age”.  The kind of information and the way it is to be used are critical factor to the growth of agriculture.  It is also worth noting that it is no longer enough for research to generate information alone.  The required information is also to be delivered to the end user at one place.  This information must be direct, clear and easily understandable and without any room for distortion.

There is a greater need for coordination between researchers and technology users.  A higher degree of integration needs to be achieved by having a formal management mechanism linking scientists or department in charges of different disciplines (though engaged in interdependent tasks) on the one hand to the technology users on the other.  The linkage mechanism should be with formal, permanent, mandated, facilitated and designated function.  The establishment of an agricultural Technology Information Centre will provide such a mechanism beyond the individual unit of a research institution to contribute to the dissemination of the information.  This will serve as a single window delivery system for services and products of research for the areas in which the concerned institute is involved.

The cornerstone of India’s agricultural revolution has been the availability of improved varieties of cereals, oilseeds, pulses, etc. breed of livestock including poultry and fisheries; horticultural plant materials, and improve management practice for increase productivity, sustainability and stability of various crops and livestock enterprises.  This has raised the search by farmers for future availability of seed, planting materials and other materials, easy accessibility to diagnostic services for soil fertility and plant protection, availability of appropriate information through leaflets and pamphlets and increased scope in sale of consultancy services.  Often the farmers are not aware as to whom and where to approach for field problems.  It is felt that the facility of a ‘single window’ approach at the entrance of the ICAR Institute/State Agricultural Universities will enable the farmers to have the required information for the solution to their problems related to the areas in which the concerned institute is involved.  Because of the dominance of small and resource poor farmers and concentration of poor people in several sectors, public institutions like ICAR institutes and SAU’s will continue to play a vital role in supply of information for increasing the overall productivity in agriculture.

The rationale for establishment of ATIC are

1. To provide diagnostic services for soil and water testing, plant and livestock health.

2. To supply research products such as seeds and other planning materials, poultry strains, livestock breeds, fish seed, processed products, etc, emerging form the institution for testing and adaptation by various clientele.

3. Providing information through published literature and communication materials as well as audio—visual aids.

4. Providing an opportunity to the institutes/SAU/s to generate some resource through the sale of their technologies.

The important criteria of Agricultural Technology Information are

1. Availability (or accessibility) of new technologies,

2. Relevance of new technologies;

3. Responsiveness of new technologies to the needs of different categories of farmers; and

4. Sustainability of such unit within the overall institutional system

The Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC) is a “single window” support system lining the various units of a research institution with intermediary users and end users (farmers) in decision making and problem solving exercise.

By building on the past investment in infrastructures in these institutions considerable farm worthy techniques/ technologies/ knowledge material have been developed in the institutions which can provide the techniques, technologies, seeds and planting materials to the farmers and other organizations for taking up the frontier technologies, to the field.  This will facilitate in dealing effectively with the complexity and diversity of information system and channels.  Such information will be useful for:

These centers will provide a ‘balanced scorecard’ in terms of

1. Financial- Resource generation and financial sustainability;
2. Customers-measures on performance of the technology from the customer’s point of view;
3. Process- the performance of  key internal processes in terms of providing quality services, seed and plant materials, etc. linkage with district extension system and, spread of improved technology and productivity in the area: and
4. Learning- the ability of the research organization to improve continuously and innovate in its products, services and processes.

Objectives:

The objectives for establishment of such centers as a single window system are as follows:

1. To provide a ‘single window’ delivery system for the products and species available form an institution to the farmers and other interested groups as process of innovativeness in Technology Dissemination at the institute level.
2. To facilitate direct the farmers access to the institutional resources available in terms of technology, advice, technology products, etc. for reducing technology dissemination losses; and
3. To provide mechanism for feedback from the users to the institute

Agriculture Technology Information Center (A T I C):

The importance of an appropriate information package and its dissemination as an input has assumed added emphasis in this “information age”.  The kind of information and the way it is to be used are critical factor to the growth of agriculture.  It is also worth noting that it is no longer enough for research to generate information alone.  The required information is also to be delivered to the end user at one place.  This information must be direct, clear and easily understandable and without any room for distortion.

There is a greater need for coordination between researchers and technology users.  A higher degree of integration needs to be achieved by having a formal management mechanism linking scientists or department in charges of different disciplines (though engaged in interdependent tasks) on the one hand to the technology users on the other.  The linkage mechanism should be with formal, permanent, mandated, facilitated and designated function.  The establishment of an agricultural Technology Information Centre will provide such a mechanism beyond the individual unit of a research institution to contribute to the dissemination of the information.  This will serve as a single window delivery system for services and products of research for the areas in which the concerned institute is involved.

The cornerstone of India’s agricultural revolution has been the availability of improved varieties of cereals, oilseeds, pulses, etc. breed of livestock including poultry and fisheries; horticultural plant materials, and improve management practice for increase productivity, sustainability and stability of various crops and livestock enterprises.  This has raised the search by farmers for future availability of seed, planting materials and other materials, easy accessibility to diagnostic services for soil fertility and plant protection, availability of appropriate information through leaflets and pamphlets and increased scope in sale of consultancy services.  Often the farmers are not aware as to whom and where to approach for field problems.  It is felt that the facility of a ‘single window’ approach at the entrance of the ICAR Institute/State Agricultural Universities will enable the farmers to have the required information for the solution to their problems related to the areas in which the concerned institute is involved.  Because of the dominance of small and resource poor farmers and concentration of poor people in several sectors, public institutions like ICAR institutes and SAU’s will continue to play a vital role in supply of information for increasing the overall productivity in agriculture.

The rationale for establishment of ATIC are

1. To provide diagnostic services for soil and water testing, plant and livestock health.

2. To supply research products such as seeds and other planning materials, poultry strains, livestock breeds, fish seed, processed products, etc, emerging form the institution for testing and adaptation by various clientele.

3. Providing information through published literature and communication materials as well as audio—visual aids.

4. Providing an opportunity to the institutes/SAU/s to generate some resource through the sale of their technologies.

The important criteria of Agricultural Technology Information are

1. Availability (or accessibility) of new technologies,

2. Relevance of new technologies;

3. Responsiveness of new technologies to the needs of different categories of farmers; and

4. Sustainability of such unit within the overall institutional system

The Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC) is a “single window” support system lining the various units of a research institution with intermediary users and end users (farmers) in decision making and problem solving exercise.

By building on the past investment in infrastructures in these institutions considerable farm worthy techniques/ technologies/ knowledge material have been developed in the institutions which can provide the techniques, technologies, seeds and planting materials to the farmers and other organizations for taking up the frontier technologies, to the field.  This will facilitate in dealing effectively with the complexity and diversity of information system and channels.  Such information will be useful for:

These centers will provide a ‘balanced scorecard’ in terms of

1. Financial- Resource generation and financial sustainability;
2. Customers-measures on performance of the technology from the customer’s point of view;
3. Process- the performance of  key internal processes in terms of providing quality services, seed and plant materials, etc. linkage with district extension system and, spread of improved technology and productivity in the area: and
4. Learning- the ability of the research organization to improve continuously and innovate in its products, services and processes.

Objectives:

The objectives for establishment of such centers as a single window system are as follows:

1. To provide a ‘single window’ delivery system for the products and species available form an institution to the farmers and other interested groups as process of innovativeness in Technology Dissemination at the institute level.
2. To facilitate direct the farmers access to the institutional resources available in terms of technology, advice, technology products, etc. for reducing technology dissemination losses; and
3. To provide mechanism for feedback from the users to the institute