Commemoration of 75th Year of India’s Independence - Bharat Ka Amrut Mahotsav

Agricultural extension and advisory services play a vital role in every rural development programmes. The existing extension worker and farmers ratio of 1:1162 may not be sufficient to meet the technological requirement of different stakeholders in agriculture. Hence, Government of India, tries to supplement the technology delivery mechanism with other possible linkage mechanisms. Success of the extension programme always determined by the correct media selection and targeting the correct audience for the programme. Direct linkage between Scientists and Farmers is one of the effective technologies delivering mechanism. But this direct interface has also been constrained during covid pandemic period. Keeping this point in view, ICAR-NRCB has initiated a Scientists – Farmer’s technology delivery through a regional television channel. During the lock down period for technological backstopping for banana farmers and other stakeholders and to strengthen the R-E-F linkage, a comprehensive programme on banana technologies was telecasted through “Malarum Boomi” agricultural programme of regional TV channel - Makkal TV. The programme includes different aspects of banana technologies from new varieties to post harvest technologies and was organised into six different modules with eleven episodes. The details of episodes and beneficiaries’ viewers are given below. Further, the telecast is also available for stakeholders as permanent link at the YouTube channel viz., Makkal TV Malarum Bhoomi 2021. The programme was co-ordinated by Dr. C. Karpagam, Senior Scientist (Agricultural Extension) and supported by Dr. P. Ravichamy, Sr. Technical Officer.