October - December 2012 - National Institute of Rural Development

454 M. Mahadeva and K. Keshavamurthythe right target group of farmers.Having soil testing units at eachpanchayat level would go a very bigway in influencing the farmingcommunity in getting their farm soilstested regularly. Certainly, this facilitywould change the mindset of thefarming community towards soil testingand in undertaking corrective measuresfrom time to time. Further, introductionof mobile soil testing unit is also animmediate need in order to take thesoil testing facility into the hinterlandsof the most backward areas. Ensuringextension services and technicalpersons at each panchayat level is alsoa need of the hour in order to canvassand campaign about the MMASs at thegrassroots level. The presence of theseservices at the local level brings incultivation of various crops, besidesoffering technical know-how for thefarming community. It is indeednecessary to wipe out misconceptionsabout the adoption of new techniquesand methods of cultivation of variouscrops in the minds of the farmers,especially among the lower rungfarmers owing to their riskconsciousness. These units can alsojudiciously decide the application of thepest management techniques and theirsuitability across all the crops.4. Implementation of MMASs in the Statehas successfully achieved reduction inthe cost of cultivation on the one handand increasing agricultural income onthe other hand. This is one of thetestimonies of the benefit of theschemes. With this, the State has tomake all the efforts to implement theschemes, in order to further infuse thenew but cost- effective methods ofcultivation. This is imminent in order toincrease production and productivityand net income return to the farmingfamilies. It goes without saying thatmaximisation of productivity andincome would facilitate the small andmarginal farmers to improve their livingconditions, with the given existing localresources at their control. It should notbe misconstrued that the other farmingcommunity namely medium and largefarmer’s interest are neglected. Rather,these farmers should be encouraged,in order to take lead in transformingthe goals of these schemes into areality. Particularly, they can take leadin the adoption of new techniques ofcultivation of various crops with theimproved techniques and could be amodel for the rest of the farmingcommunity. Given their capabilitiesthese farmers can showcase thebenefits of new schemes to the widercommunity, particularly to the lowerrung farmers.5. Lastly, given the lowest awareness levelabout the MMASs in the State, the needof the hour is to propose extensionservice centres at each panchayatlevel, step up the canvass and educatethe farming community about theMMASs, their contents and benefits thatwould accrue to them with theirimplementation. Publication ofinformation about each of the schemesin the local language and distributingthe same to all the farming familieswould substantially enhance theunderstanding of these schemes. In thisregard, the present campaigningmethod of broadcasting through radiosand televisions needs furtherconsideration to reach wider farmingcommunity.Journal of Rural Development, Vol. 31, No. 4, October - December : 2012