New Paradigms in Agricultural Extension: Implications for Bio-resource and Stress Management

The agriculture sector is faced with several serious challenges: The spiraling demand for food and fibre, declining cultivated area due to population pressure, declining agricultural productivity due to natural resource degradation, abiotic and biotic stress factors, climate change and increasing compitions in International Markets. It has also become apparent worldwide that Intensive agricultural system involving high inputs are not only too costly but are contributing to soil degradation, pest resistance, global warming and loss of Bio-diversity. One fundamental element in meeting these challenges is the adoption of sustainable eco-friendly, cost effective agricultural and natural resource management practices by farmers. The sustainable agricultural development and Bio resource and stress management, therefore, are important factors for livelihood of millions of small scale, resource poor farmers in India. The environment and economics receives prime consideration under sustainable agricultural systems, which can kindle evergreen revolution. Agricultural extension should pay a pivotal role in ushering such a revolution. Therefore, the transition from a resource based to a technology based system of agriculture, however plays a greater responsibility on the agricultural extension sector, for it is as a vital conduit to transform and educate farmers on the new agricultural information and technologies as well as a conduit to research and policy makers on farmers problems, needs and concerns.