Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) is a decentralized and demand driven extension mechanism operating on the comparative strength of different stakeholders. It is a registered society responsible for technology dissemination at the district level through Strategic Research and Extension Plan (SREP). It can receive funds directly from GOI / State, membership fees, beneficiaries contribution etc. It will have linkage with all the line departments, research and extension organizations, non-governmental organizations and other agencies associated with Agricultural development in the district. The University has identified SREP Co-ordinators for developing Strategic Research and Extension Plan and fecilitate the implementation of ATMA programmes in the identified districts by the Department of Agriculture. SREP is developed based on participatory methodology which addresses the specific problems of the farming community especially resource poor and the other disadvantaged group.
State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) was established as a regional centre for southern region of the state by upgrading the Farmers’ Training Institute (FTI), UAS, Hebbal, Bangalore, to supplement and complement the activities of the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) programme in southern districts of the State.
Mandate
To organize the HRD activities for the stakeholders of ATMA districts of the State.
To distribute funds to the ATMA districts for organizing the district level activities.
To guide the SREP Co-ordinators in implementation of ATMA programmes.
Activities
Providing capacity building support in Extension Management related areas to the extension functionaries both from public and private sectors.
Providing consultancy in the areas like project planning, appraisal, implementation etc.
Developing and promoting the application of management tools for improving the effectiveness of agricultural extension services through better management of human and material resources.
Organizing need based training programmes for middle level and grass-root level agricultural extension functionaries.
Developing modules on Management, Communication, Participatory Methodologies etc, as a sequel to the feedback from training programmes.
