Sher-e-Kashmir

University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir

Division of Agricultural Extension and Communication,
Faculty of Agriculture, Wadura-193201
Credit Seminar
Title of credit seminar :
Name of the Student : Mr. Naqeeb Raja
Regd. No.
Course No. :
Seminar Incharge : Dr.M.A.Beigh
Associate Professor
Division of Agri. Extn. & Communication
Date of seminar :

Abstract

Even after so many years of independence, the quality, timely and cost effective delivery of adequate
inputs remains a dream for majority of Indian farmers. They are not able to sell their surplus produce
remuneratively and there is plenty of distress sales among farmers of the country. The need for market led
is of necessity by the paradigm shift of present Agriculture scenarios which calls for conversion of
the sector into profit oriented business. FAO estimates that 32 percent of all food produced in the world
were lost in 2009 due to lack of post-harvest operation among others (Lipinski, et. al. 2013). Similarly,
13% of Gross Domestic Product was reported loss yearly in India due to loss of food grains (Manipadma,
2013). However, the advent of globalization and emergence of new market mechanisms has opened new
opportunities for the farmers of the country across crop categories and agricultural regions. This calls for
transfer of new extension approaches involving productivity to profitability, subsistence to commercial
agriculture, commodity oriented to farming systems orientation, local market to export market, mono
cropping to crop diversity and so on. In the present scenario, Market led Extension is the perfect blend for
reaching at the door steps of our farmers. With globalization of the market, farmers need to transform
themselves from mere producers-sellers in the domestic market to producers cum sellers in a wider
market sense to best realize the returns on their investments, risks and efforts. Besides the production
technologies, the extension workers now have to get equipped with market information which requires
imparting new training skills to the extensionists. Extension personnel will have to be ready to perform
some additional roles like SWOT analysis of the market, organizing Farmers Commodity Interest
Groups, supporting and enhancing the capacities of locally established groups like Water Users
Associations, Self-Help Groups, Watershed Committees etc, creation of websites of successful farmers
besides establishing marketing agro-processing linkages and market intelligence for motivating our
farmers to shift from supply driven to market driven(Sharma and Chand,2014).The focus of the
extension functionaries need to be extended beyond production. Farmers should be sensitized on various
aspects on quality, consumers preference, market intelligence, processing and value addition and other
marketing information. This will help the farming community to realize high returns for the produce,
minimize the production costs, and improve the product value and marketability (Gauraha et. al.,2012)
Conclusion:

Market-led extension establishes its position by helping the farmers realize high returns for the produce,
minimize the production costs, improve the product value and marketability. Generation of data on the
market intelligence would be a huge task by itself. Hence, establishment of linkages between agriculture
line departments and Departments of Market strengthens the market-led extension.

Refrences:

Gauraha, A.K., Lakpale, N. and Hulas Pathak. 2012. Training manual on Model Training Course
on Market Led Extension. Organized at Directorate of Extension Services, IGKV, Raipur
from 18-25 September, 2012 : 156 pages. http://igau.edu.in/pdf/pubdes18.pdf (accessed
on 01-03-17)
Lipinski, B., Craig, H., James, L., Lisa, K., Richard, W. and Tim S.2013. Reducing food loss and
waste. Paper on Creating a Sustainable Food Future. Washington, DC: World Resources
Institute. http://www.worldresourcesreport.org (accessed on 01-03-17)
Manipadma, J.2013. Indias Food Security Rots in Storage. Inter Press Service News Agency.
Bhubaneswar, India. http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/06/indias-food-security-rots-in-
storage/ (accessed on 01-03-17)
Sharma, D.D. and Chand, M. 2014.Market-led extension: Issues and challenges for extension
personnel, International Journal of Farm Sciences,4(3):201-206.