Agriculture

Agriculture is the lifeline of the National Economy and its growth is very vital for sustainable food security of well being of citizens. 70 percent of the population is engaged in Agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood. The district has as an area of 3363.35 sq.km with a gross cropped area of around 3.367 lakhs Ha.. The department policy and objectives have been to ensure stability in agricultural production and to increase the agricultural production in a sustainable manner to meet the food requirement of growing population and also to meet the raw material needs of agro based industries, thereby providing employment opportunities to the rural population.

The Agriculture Department has taken up the challenge to achieve higher growth rate in agriculture by implementing several development schemes and propagating of relevant technologies to step up the production. National Agriculture Development Programme, Submission on seeds and planting material, National Food Security Mission – Pulses, NFSM Oilseeds, NFSM Nutri cereals, NFSM Oilpalm, NFSM Treeborne seeds, Tamil Nadu Cotton Cultivation Mission, National Mission On Sustainable Agriculture, Soil Health Card Mission, Soil health improvement through Bio-fertilizer application including Green Manuring, adoption of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies are given priority through various programmes, besides crop diversification to fetch better return and value addition to agricultural produce which inturn improve the economic status of the farming community.

The Namakkal District has a Geographical area of 3,36,719 Hectares. Of which the net cultivated area is 1,41,537 Hectares. Out of which about 60939 Ha are irrigated and about 80,598 Ha are rainfed. The Mettur East Bank Canal covers an area of 4,585 Ha in Pallipalayam Block. The normal annual rainfall is 716.54 mm. Multi various crops are grown in this District and Agriculture is the main occupation for most of the people in the District.

OBJECTIVE

To function as an advisory to the farmers in their day to day agricultural activities, supply of quality seeds, monitoring the supply of quality chemical fertilizers, bio fertilizers, bio pesticides Besides making available the latest technologies from research institutions with a view to increase the production and productivity of crops. The major objective of Agriculture Department is to double the production and triple the income of the farmers.

Aim

1. To sustain the Agricultural cropping Area
2. To increase the Production and Productivity
3. Double the production and triple the income of the farming community</li

Topography and Agro Climatic Characteristics

Rainfall

The Average annual rainfall is 716.54 mm. This district receives rainfall in North East Monsoon.

Agro climatic zone

Tamilnadu divided into major seven Agro climatic zone. Namakkal district comes under North western Agroclimatic zone and western Agroclimatic zone. Temperature ranges from Maximum of 40’C and Minimum of 18’C.

Soils

Major soil in this district is red soil (77 %). The major soil series in Namakkal district area Irungur series, Tulukanur series, Pilamedu Series, The PH ranging from 5.2 to 8.7. EC range 0.1 to 1.0.

Irrigation Source

Canal, tank, tube well, lift irrigation and open well are the main sources of irrigation in this district. Tube wells / bore wells contribute the major area of irrigation.

Canal Irrigation

Mettur East Bank canal irrigates pallipalayam Block with an Ayacut area 4585 Ha. Rajavaikal canal irrigates an area of 4215 Ha. Mohanur vaikal irrigates about 355 Ha. Kumarapalayam vaikal irrigates about 1146 Ha and poiyeri vaikal irrrigates about 323 Ha.

Major Agricultural Crops

Paddy, Sorghum, Ground nut, Green gram, Black gram, Maize, Cotton and sugarcane crops are cultivated in this district.

Infrastructure Facilities

Bio-Control Laboratory-Namakkal

Trichoderma viridi, Pseudomonas fluorescens and NPV are the Bio-Control agents produced and distributed to the farmers. The objective of production and distribution of Bio-Control agents is to reduce the farmers dependence on chemical pesticides there by reducing the cost of cultivation and increasing the profit.

Soil Testing Laboratory-Namakkal

Soil Samples are taken from the farmers field (Grid System of Sampling) and sent to Soil Testing Laboratory for analysis. Based on the analytical report of the Soil Testing Laboratory, Soil health cards are generated and distributed to the farmers. The objective is to educate the farmers to go for soil health card based chemical fertilizer application and also to control the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers that not only affect the soil health status and reduces the produce quality but also increases the cost of cultivation without any additional benefits.

Mobile Soil Testing Laboratory-Tiruchengode

Soil Samples are taken from the farmers field (Grid System of Sampling) using mobile vans and analysis is made in the Mobil Soil Testing Laboratory. Based on the analytical report of the Mobil Soil Testing Laboratory, Soil health cards are generated and distributed to the farmers. The objective is to educate the farmers to go for soil health card based chemical fertilizer application and also to control the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers that not only affect the soil health status and reduces the produce quality but also increases the cost of cultivation without any additional benefits.

Farmer Training Centre-Namakkal:

The objective of the Farmer training centre is to provide village level training to all the farmers for effective transfer of advanced technologies.

Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA)

The objective is to strengthen Research – Extension – Farmer linkages Technology Transfer through Demonstrations, Training and Exposure visit.

Schemes

Different schemes are being implemented in our district to disseminate the advanced technologies for increasing productivity and production in all agricultural crops.

I. Centrally Sponsored Schemes

• National Agricultural Development Programme (NADP) for Paddy, Millets, Pulses, Oilseeds, Sugarcane and Enriching Soil Fertility through Green Manure
• National Mission on Oilseeds and Oilpalm (NMOOP) – Oilseeds, Oilpalm and Tree Borne Oilseed Crops.
• National Food Security Mission (NFSM)- Pulses and Commercial Crops
• National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)- Integrated Farming System
• Coconut Development Board schemes (CDB) – Coconut
• Sub Mission on Seeds and Planting Materials (SMSP)- Paddy, Millets, Pulses and Oilseeds – Certified Seed Distribution
• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)- To Encourage Organic Farming
• Pradhan Manthri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) – Micro Irrigation in Agricultural Crops.

II. State Schemes

• Tamil Nadu Cotton Cultivation Mission (TNCCM) – cotton
• Mission on Sustainable Dry land Agriculture (MSDA)- Rainfed Millet, Pulses, Oilseeds and Cotton.
• Collective Farming –Establishing FPOs
• Seed multiplication schemes by TANSEDA

Organizational Setup

District Level Organization Setup

Joint Director of Agriculture is the overall monitoring, supervising and executing authority of all schemes operated under Agriculture department. He is also liaison officer of Allied Department of Agriculture.

In Namakkal district, 15 Agricultural Extension Centres (AEC) are located at block level. Each AEC is headed by Assistant Director of Agriculture. All the schemes are implemented from block level. In Block Level, Agricultural officer and Deputy Agricultural officer is working under Assistant Director of Agriculture. Each officer equally shares the scheme works. The Agricultural officer monitors the three Assistant Agricultural officers and the Deputy Agricultural officer monitors two Assistant Agricultural officers. The Assistant Seed Officer raises the seed farm for the seed requirement of Block in Paddy, Pulses, Millet, oilseed and Cotton crops. Depot manager sells the seed and other inputs to the farmers.

BLOCK OFFICES – CONTACT DETAILS

CONTACT DETAILS

Joint Director of Agriculture,
O/o Joint director of agriculture,
Collectorate Complex, Annexure Building I Floor, Siluvampatty (Post),-637 001.
Phone : 04286 280465.
Email : jdagr[dot]tnnmk@nic[dot]in