The Agri Clinic and Agribusiness Centres or ACABC scheme is being implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, with NABARD acting as subsidy channelising agency. It emphasize to channelize the youth to be self reliant and create self employment opportunities and promote the agriculture in a sytematic way. It aims to build a unique programme to take better methods of farming to each and every farmer across the country.
What are the objectives of the Scheme?
- To supplement efforts of public extension by providing extension and other services to farmers either on payment basis or free of cost as per business model of agri-preneur, local needs and affordability of target group of farmers
- To support agricultural development
- To create gainful self-employment opportunities to unemployed agricultural graduates, agricultural diploma holders, intermediate in agriculture and biological science graduates with PG in agri-related courses.
What are Agri-Clinics?
Agri-Clinics are envisaged to provide expert advice and services to farmers on various aspects to enhance productivity of crops/animals and increase the incomes of farmers. Agri-Clinics provide support in the following areas:
- Soil health
- Cropping practices
- Plant protection
- Crop insurance Clinical services for animals, feed and fodder management
- Post-harvest technology
- Clinical services for animals, feed and fodder management
- Prices of various crops in the market, etc.
What are Agri-Business Centres?
Agri-Business Centres are commercial units of agri-ventures established by trained agriculture professionals. These ventures may include maintenance and custom hiring of farm equipment, sale of inputs and other services in agriculture and allied areas, including post-harvest management and market linkages for income generation and entrepreneurship development.
The scheme covers full financial support for training and hand holding, provision of loan and credit-linked back-end composite subsidy.
List of Beneficiaries
- Graduates in agriculture and allied subjects from State Agriculture Universities (SAUs)/Central Agricultural Universities/Universities recognised by ICAR/UGC. Degree in Agriculture and allied subjects offered by other agencies are also considered subject to approval of Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, GoI, on recommendation of the State Government
- Diploma (with at least 50% marks)/Post Graduate Diploma holders in Agriculture and allied subjects from State Agricultural Universities, State Agriculture and Allied Departments and State Department of Technical Education.
- Diploma in Agriculture and allied subjects offered by other agencies are also considered subject to approval of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare, GoI on recommendation of the State Government
- Biological Science Graduates with Post Graduation in Agriculture & allied subjects
- Degree courses recognised by UGC having more than 60 percent of the course content in Agriculture and allied subjects
- Diploma/Post Graduate Diploma courses with more than 60 percent of course content in Agriculture and allied subjects, after B.Sc. with Biological Sciences, from recognised colleges and universities.
- Agriculture related courses at Intermediate (i.e. plus two) level, with at least 55% marks.
Instructions for Implementation of Revised Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres
AC&ABC PROGRAMME -2025 enlists the instructions for Agri Clinics and Agri Business Centre scheme
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR CANDIDATES:
The scheme is open to following categories of candidates of age group of 21 to 60 years. Upper age limit for getting credit facility after training is 62 years. Serving persons and retired servants getting pensionary benefits are not eligible for subsidy benefits.
Graduates in Agriculture and allied subjects like Horticulture, Sericulture, Dairy, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Home/ Community Sciences, Biotechnology, Agricultural Engineering, Forestry, Food Technology, Food Nutrition and Dietetics etc., from SAUs/ Central Agricultural Universities/ Universities and graduates in Environmental Science, Botany, Zoology and Chemistry
recognized by ICAR/ UGC. Degree in Agriculture and allied subjects offered by other agencies are also considered subject to approval of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India on recommendation of the State Government.
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Diploma (3 years after +2) with at least 50% marks/ Post Graduate Diploma holders in Agriculture and allied subjects
(as in Para 3.1) from State Agricultural Universities, State Agriculture and Allied Departments and State Department of Technical Education. Diploma in Agriculture and allied subjects (as in Para 3.1) offered by other agencies (autonomous bodies, UGC affiliated universities etc.,) are also considered subject to approval of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India on recommendation of the State Government.
Candidates with a minimum gap of one year after completion of educational qualification shall be considered for training to get serious candidates for training and establishment of ventures. The scheme covers full financial support for training and hand holding, provision of loan and credit linked back ended composite subsidy as per the details given in the following section.
TRAINING AND HAND HOLDING:
National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) will be responsible for providing training to eligible candidates, through Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs) and motivating them for setting up of Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres.
Selection of Nodal Training Institutes:
MANAGE has to assess the number of NTIs to be established in each State/UT based on the tentative strength of eligible candidates in the State/UT. Each NTI shall have a jurisdiction of approximately 200 km radius. Press advertisement inviting application from eligible institutions will be issued as per the requirement, so that selection of NTIs can be done in a time bound manner. However, additional applications may be taken during the year, if deemed necessary. The selection of NTIs is a three-stage process as given below:
The entire process of selection of NTIs shall be completed within 45 days from the date of receipt of applications. The guideline including application forms are available at the website of DA&FW, (https://agriwelfare.gov.in, -Schemes>Extension>Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business COMPENDIUM OF AC & ABC PROGRAMME Centres) and AC&ABC website of MANAGE (www.agriclinics.net)
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Trained candidates can avail financial support in the form of credit linked back ended subsidy. Banks shall extend credit facilities for establishment of ventures by trained candidates under priority sector norms as per the provision at Para 6. of Chapter-III of RBI circular, RBI/ FIDD/ 2016-17/33 (Master Direction-FIDD.CO.Plan.1 /04.09.01/2016-17) dated July 7, 2016 or as amended from time to time.
SUBSIDY
National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) is the nodal agency for implementation of subsidy component through financing banks for credit linked projects. NABARD has to ensure that at least 50% of the ventures established under the programme, every year, are getting the subsidy benefit.
MONITORING
AC&ABC Monitoring Cell will be strengthened at Directorate of Extension (DOE) and shall be responsible for proper Monitoring and Administration of the Scheme. The linkages of agri-preneurs with State Governments, Banks, Agro-industries under GOI and other stakeholders will be reviewed by MANAGE and Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) at least twice a year. The DOE would employ contractual staff, organize review meetings / workshops / interfaces and carry out periodic monitoring of the Scheme and its impact evaluation study at the end of every plan period or after every five years, whichever is
earlier. DOE along with MANAGE would also maintain an on-line monitoring system, telephone, fax, computer, etc. for the Scheme. Four Extension Education Institutes (EEIs) will function as a middle layer monitoring organization, below MANAGE, in their respective States/UTs of jurisdiction. EEI officials may be part of the team visiting the institutes during the physical verification for selection as NTIs. During the selection of candidates as well as ongoing trainings also, EEI officials can make surprise visits and furnish the factual reports about the NTIs and the training programmes. MANAGE will develop a follow up system with banks to monitor the process of credit lending to the trained candidates.
GENERAL AWARENESS & PUBLICITY:
General awareness, publicity and advertisement for the Scheme would be undertaken by DoE, MANAGE, NABARD and Nodal Training Institutions (NTIs).
MANAGE shall organize awareness campaigns in SAUs/ CAUs etc., for final year Extension Education of Universities.
DOE/MANAGE shall release Newspaper advertisements in national and regional languages under the programme Mass Media Support to Agricultural Extension of DOE.
NTIs shall advertise through local TV & Radio channels/Newspapers/Mass Media & Social Media etc.
LINKAGES WITH ATMA & AGRO INDUSTRIES
The Scheme should be linked with Agricultural Technology Management Agencies (ATMAs) constituted by States under the Scheme “Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms. The Extension Reforms Scheme mandates that minimum 10% of resources on extension activities are to be utilized through the non-governmental sector, which also includes Agri- preneurs. ATMAs would be encouraged to implement extension activities through Agri-preneurs. The ventures could also be utilized to provide input services like plant saplings, seeds, and micronutrients under on-going flagship schemes implemented
by the Department. Special emphasis will be made to review the progress of involvement of the agri-preneurs in ATMA activities on half-yearly basis by State Nodal Officer, GoI and MANAGE. ATMAs shall also strive to achieve establishment of at least one agri-clinic every year in each Block depending on the availability of trained candidates under the Scheme. The Monthly Progress Report being submitted through EMS under ATMA scheme shall necessarily have a provision for reporting the progress achieved on this front.
In order to provide support to the Agri-preneurs for making their business more viable, Govt. of India Institutions such as National Seeds Corporation (NSC), Indian Farmers Fertilizers Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd. (KRIBHCO, Small Farmers Agri Business Consortium (SFAC), State Agro Industries Corporations etc. shall be advised to engage the Agri-preneurs as their authorized dealers on preferential basis without affecting their existing network. The linkages with these agro industries shall be reviewed on half-yearly basis.
Read the below detailed PDF for guidelines
Helpline
The helpline numbers are provided for assistance 1800-425-1556
Conclusion
This programme aims to tap the expertise available in the large pool of Agriculture Graduates. Irrespective of whether you are a fresh graduate or not, or whether you are currently employed or not, you can set up your own AgriClinic or AgriBusiness Centre and offer professional extension services to innumerable farmers. Committed to this programme, the Government is now also providing start-up training to graduates in Agriculture, or any subject allied to Agriculture like Horticulture, Sericulture, Veterinary Sciences, Forestry, Dairy, Poultry Farming, and Fisheries, etc. Those completing the training can apply for special start-up loans for venture.
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