Agriculture

About Department

The Department of Agriculture has been created mainly to provide Agricultural Extension services to farmers and to transfer the latest technical knowledge to the farming community, introduction of high yielding varieties, laying demonstrations, imparting training to farmers to improve skills & knowledge to boost up the agricultural Production and productivity.

In the process of making the mission a reality, the department is adopting following strategies:

Sustained and coordinated efforts” for facilitating a second green revolution and device strategies for optimum use of natural resources to create new avenues in Agriculture for livelihood and strengthen the rural areas. Government site-specific system to ensure that at least a part of the fallow lands are brought under cultivation by increasing irrigation sources. New seed technology and post harvest technology are need to be addressed.
Involvement of marginal and small farmers in crop diversification and food security are the important aspects to be addressed in accelerating crop diversification in the State.
Credit provides necessary liquidity and insurance provides command over resource to the farming community.
Provision of banking facilities in un-banked and under banked areas, financial inclusion, SHG bank-linkage programme, financing rural godowns and agricultural Infrastructure are the thrust areas.
Re-engineering extension approach for effective extension reach
Empowering the farmer with advance agricultural practices
Capacity enhancement of Departmental Staff for an efficient extension of technology.
Ensuring timely input supply.
Regulation of inputs and quality control.
Soil test based fertilizer recommendation
Promotion of self- reliance in seed production among farmers.
Promotion of Integrated Crop Management through INM, IPM, efficient water management, etc.
Promotion of organic farming to meet the demand of World Market.
Correcting Micronutrient Zinc deficiency
Reclamation of Problematic soils to restore the productivity.
Natural Resource Management through watershed approach for agricultural land development and environmental stability
Calamity Management in the event of drought, floods, hailstorms etc.
Promoting cultivation of low risk and low cost intensive crops.
Farm Mechanization for item and cost effective farming practices.
Promoting Farmers Organization (Rythu Mithra Groups) for technical and monitory benefits in Agriculture and allied activities.

Facilitate the farmer to avail Agriculture Credit.

The Infrastructure:

The Departments has a strong chain of human resources consisting of more than 4000 extension staff of field and supervisory cadre. The staff is periodically oriented with the advance technology emerging from time to time by re-engineering through trainings, workshops, interactions etc., in addition, the department supports a number of Farmers Training Centers, laboratories, Farmers Field Schools etc., to equip the farmer with necessary deal and knowledge for successful agriculture

The Allied Departments:

The research support to the Department is endowed by the State Agriculture University and the National and International Institutes. The input support is solicited through various autonomous bodies like APSSDC, APSAIDC, APMARKFED, APOILFED etc., The other eco-coordinating Departments are Horticulture, Sericulture, Fisheries,Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, Forests, Rain ShadowArea Development and Power.Financial support is rendered by NABARD and other Banks, not only to land owning farmers but also to tenant farmers.

Staff Pattern

District level:

At the District level the Department is headed by Joint Director of Agriculture and assisted by DDAs ADAs and AOs at District, Division and Mandal levels.

Agriculture Division level:

The Divisional ADA is the head of the Agriculture division and assisted by the agricultural officers at the mandal level. There are 11 divisions in the District

Mandal Level:

In all the 53 mandals of the district , one Agriculture Officer is working in each mandal. These AOs are assisted by few Agricultural Extension Officers and Multipurpose Extenstion Offices in the field work.

Schemes
Scheme	Objective
NFSM-Pulses & Coarse Cereals	Objectives : Increasing productions & pulses & coarse cereals through Area expansion Productivity enhancement in sustainable manner. Restoring soil fertility & productivity at individual farm level Ø Enhancing farm level economy by reducing cost of cultivation. Strategies : Focus on low productivity & high potential areas Cropping system centric interventions in mission mode Agro Climatic Zone wise planning & cluster approach Focus on Pulses production through Utilisation of Rice fallows Rice / other commercial field bunds Inter cropping with oil seeds & commercial crops.
CRKs	The objective of Chandranna Rythu Kshetram is the new On Farm Demonstration programme implemented in the farmers field itself to promote best agronomic and farm management practices for achieving increase in productivity and reducing cost of cultivation. Rs.50,000/- worth of inputs supplied to beneficaries. Organising 194 CRKS during Kharif 2018 in the district As the district is drought prone, we are providing ZEBA – a starch product from UPL company to provide moisture during initial dry spells. And also providing Trichoderma viridae and Gypsum to enhance the productivity
NMOOP	NATIONAL MISSION ON OILSEEDS (NMOOP). NMOOP envisages increase in production of oils sourced from Oil seeds. To increase production and productivity of oilseeds crops through bringing in fallow areas under oilseed crops and diversification of area. It aims to achieve the required target by addressing major constraints to crop productivity through promotion of relevant technological interventions. We are organising Groundnut block demonstrations in 600 Ha. during Kharif 2018 We are providing ZEBA seed on 50% subsidy, Trichoderma Viridae,PP Chemicals under 50% subsidy We also impart trainings through Scientists on latest Technological interventions in Oilseeds.
SVP	The Seed Village scheme ensures supply of quality certified seed of notified varieties to the farmers in time at their places at affordable prices besides ensuring quick multiplication of new seed varieties in a shorter time in that mandal /district based on the crop situation. Increasing the seed production Increasing the seed replacement rate Organising seed production in cluster (or) compact area replacing existing local varieties with new high yielding varieties. To meet the local demand and timely supply. Benefits / Advantages : Seed will be with high genetic & physical purity Because of a single variety, the problem of varietal admixture during processing, drying will be avoided If facilitates fast spread of new varieties of different kinds. Seed is available at the door steps of farmers at appropriate time.
Polambadi	The basic objective of programme is to promote an eco-friendly environment including usage of Bio-agents and Bio-pesticides for controlling pest which in turn reduce the cost of cultivation and improve the field knowledge of the farmers . The Main principles of Polambadi are : 1.Grow a healthy crop, 2.Conserve natural enemies, 3.Conduct regular (weekly) field observations, 4.Farmers understand ecology as expert in their own field. To reduce the cost of cultivation and increase the productivity duly empowering the farmers to take economical decisions by adopting practices of integrated crop management We are organising 91 polambadi during Kharif in the district
Polampilustundi	The objective of Polam Pilusthondi programme is to disseminate the agricultural and allied department technologies to the door steps of the farmers. Agricultural and allied departmental officers along with the scientist will visit the villages (two villages per day) on every Tuesday and Wednesday and explain about the ongoing schemes and measures through wide publicity in local print and electronic media to take up to improve the crop yields.
INM	To make soil healthy by providing balanced nutrients through different nutrient sources To increase fertiliser use efficiency. To reduce the dependence on chemical fertilisers. To maintain productivity on sustainable basis without affecting soil health. To improve physical, chemical & biological prospection of soil.
Soil health Cards (SHCs)	To make agriculture more productive, sustainable & climate resilient. To conserve natural resources To adopt comprehensive soil health management practices To optimize utilisation of water resources. Aim : Promoting INM through judicious use of chemical fertilisers including secondary & micronutrients in conjunction with organic measures & bio-fertilisers for improving soil health & its productivity. Strengthening of soil & fertiliser testing facilities to provide soil test based recommendations to farmers for improving soil fertility Upgrading of skill & knowledge of soil testing laboratory staff, extension staff and farmers through training & demonstrations
ZBNF	ZERO BUDGET NATURAL FARMMING (ZBNF). To reduce excess usage of chemicals pesticides & fertilizers.Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a farming practice that believes in natural growth of crops without adding any fertilizers and pesticides or any other foreign elements. The word Zero Budget refers to the zero net cost of production of all crops (inter crops, border crops, multi crops). The inputs used for seed treatments and other inoculations are locally available in the form of cow dung and cow urine. A ZBNF practicisng farmer has lower cost of inputs and thus has better capacity to increase the incomes. At the same time, ZBNF crops helps in retaining soil fertiliting and is climate change resilient.
FARM MECHANISATION (SMAM, SDP, RKVY)	Reduces the cost of cultivation, hepls in timely operations particulary at the peak time of agricultural operations, reduces farmer drudgery and also helps in increases yields.
APIIATP (Andhra Pradesh Integrated Irrigation Agriculture Transformation Project)	Enhancing productivity of crops under tankfed agriculture and rainfed agriculture in the proposed tank villages since village is treated as the unit under the project Increasing cropping intensity under the tanks through poly cropping and intercropping Promoting high value crops by crop diversification Creating market access and value addition for the farm produce through FPOs Capacity building of staff and WUAs Creating required infrastructure support for agro processing and value addition In Kurnool district 29 tanks of 29 villages in 16 mandals are considered during 2018-19 to take up the programme. Paddy seed is planned for this Kharif under subsidy The programme will be taken up with the help of World Bank Funds for a period of 5 years.
ACZ (Agri Crop Zone Analysis)	The Agriculture Department in joint venture with Vassar Labs and Hitachi Company has analysed the big data of zone wise crops and soils in the state and have made certain suggestions to follow for the upcoming Kharif to optimise GVA in Agriculture & Allied sectors. Vassar labs are providing the weekly Agriculture (Sowings, Pest & disease) advisories to the mandal & village level functionaries based on the prevailing monsoon.

Official Designation	Email ID	Contact Number
Joint Director, Agriculture	agriknl[at]ap[dot]nic[dot]in
Dy. Director Agriculture (PP)	agriknl[at]ap[dot]nic[dot]in
Asst. Director Agriculture (Agro.)	agriknl[at]ap[dot]nic[dot]in