DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, VISAKHAPATNAM
About US:
- The Department of Agriculture, mainly provides Agricultural Extension services to farmers and helps in the transfer of latest technical knowledge to the farming community in the Visakhapatnam district. The department also assists in introduction of high yielding varieties, conducting demonstrations, imparting training to farmers to improve their skills & knowledge to boost up the agricultural production and productivity in the district.
- The other objectives of the Department are to assess requirements of agriculture inputs well in advance and to regulate their production and monitor timely supply of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, implements, credit etc., to farmers.
- The Department also performs the statutory functions under various acts and regulations (i.e., quality control) to ensure supply of quality inputs i.e., Seeds, Fertilizers and Pesticides to farmers.
- The Department also carries out certain other facilitating functions such as 1) soil testing 2) soil and water conservation 3) soil survey 4) credit assessment / arrangements 5) media production 6) training to farmers 7) arranging PolamPilusthundi campaigns /Diagnostic team visits whenever necessary 8) monitoring and evaluation 9) disaster management 10) crop insurance 11) agricultural mechanisation 12) extending technical assistance to various agencies.
The Infrastructure:
The Departments has a strong chain of human resources consisting of more than 450 extension staff of field and supervisory cadre. The staff is periodically oriented with the advance technology emerging from time to time by re-engineering through trainings, workshops, interactions etc.In addition, the department supports a number of laboratories,Farmers Training Centres, etc, to equip the farmer with necessary information and knowledge for profitable agriculture.
Laboratories:
The Department in Visakhapatnam has setup one Pesticide Testing Laboratory, One Biological Control Laboratory, 3 Soil Testing Laboratories (one in Anakapalli, two AMC level ones each in Narsipatnam and Paderu and a Mobile Soil Testing Laboratory in Visakhapatnam).
Farmers Training Centre (FTC): A training centre to farmers has been set up in Anakapalli to decimate the knowledge of agriculture through in house trainings and also field training to the farmers.
Soil Conservation: The office of Soil Conservation headed by Deputy Director of Agriculture is established at Ankapalli for the conservation and management of the precious soil and water resources of Visakhapatnam District. The department not only provides scientific database on the soil and land resources of the district for developing suitable soil and land management practices but also implements a variety of projects aimed at conserving and managing these natural resources which is vital for ensuring sustainable development and food security of the district.
The Allied Departments:
The research support to the Department is endowed by the State Agriculture University Krishi Vidya Kendras. The input support is solicited through various autonomous bodies like APSSDC, APAIDC, APMARKFED,etc., The other eco-coordinating Departments are Horticulture, Sericulture, Fisheries,Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, Forests, Rain ShadowArea Development and Power.
Financial support is rendered by NABARD and other Banks, not only to land owning farmers but also to tenant farmers.
Organization Structure
At District level:
At the District level the Department is headed by Joint Director of Agriculture and he is assisted by DDAs, ADAs and AOs at District, Division and Mandal levels.
At Agriculture Division level:
The Divisional ADA is the head of the Agriculture division and assisted by the agricultural officers at the mandal level. There are 10 divisions in Visakhapatnam District namely Bheemili, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Chodavaram, Elamanchali, Narsipatnam, Payakaraopeta, Paderu, Araku and Chintapalli.
Mandal Level:
In all the 43 Rural and Urban mandals of the district, one Agriculture Officer is working in each mandal. These AOs are assisted by few Agricultural Extension Officers and Multi-Purpose Extension Officers (Contract Basis) in the field work.
Projects/Schemes:
Central:
- Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA)
- National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
- Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
- Rainfed Area Development (RAD)
- Pradhan Mantri Fhasal Bheema Yojana (PMFBY)
- Soil HealthCard Scheme (SHC)
- Sub Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)
- Krishi Kalyan Abhiyaan (KKA)
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
State:
- Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)
- ChandrannaRythuKchetralu(CRK)
- Polambadi
- PolamPilusthundi
- Seed Village Programme (SVP)
- APIIATP
- Farm Mechanization (FM)
- RythuRadham – Special Development Programme (SDP)
- Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)
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