Revised ATMA Guidelines - TNAU Agritech Portal

• Operationalization of Farm Schools (key activity to promotefarmer-to-farmer extension);• Organization of and technical interaction with Farmers’ InterestGroups & Commodity Interest Groups (organization of farmersaround a particular commodity); and• Maintain an inventory of all FIGs / FOs within the Block.Besides this, BTM will also assist the BTT in carrying out functions listedat Annexure- I (e).(ii) Two Subject Matter Specialists (SMSs) are to be placed ineach Block exclusively for delivery of extension services inagriculture and allied sectors as per priority areas for various Blocks.The areas of expertise of these SMSs will be decided based on prioritiesfor various Blocks. These SMSs shall be provided requisite connectivityand mobility to perform the following functions.• Through the Block level officers of the Agriculture and allieddepartments and Block Technology Manager, these SMSs willprovide necessary inputs to Common Service Centres andKisan Call Centres.• With the technical support from the BTM, they are alsoexpected to provide requisite technical and knowledge supportto Farm Schools, Farmer Friends, farmers’ groups andfarmers in general.The BTM and SMSs at Block Level will be engaged by ProjectDirector (PD), ATMA on contract basis through a mechanismidentified by the States. While the SMSs will remain under theadministrative control of BTM, the BTM will work underadministrative control of PD, ATMA. However, some States mayprefer to link the BTM & SMSs with PD, ATMA through the BlockDevelopment Officer (BDO), if activities of agriculture and alliedGuidelines for Modified ‘Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms’ Scheme, 201022