Agricultural Resources Information System (AgRIS): An e ...

10.3 A decentralised agricultural planning system must concern
itself with the following four key dimensions of agricultural
development: -
• Organisational structure for planning and development
administration;
• Planning process organised as a two-way interactive process;
• Organisation of agri-support delivery system; and
• Reach of benefits to the bypassed in society, especially
small farmers and women farmers.
In order to support the various programmes of agricultural
production and meet the demands of farmers, it is necessary to
organise efficient Agri-Support Delivery Systems (ASDS) in
the rural areas, taking into consideration the even distribution of
such services and facilities and the problems of optimizing the
provision of such services. Apart from extension services, other
major services involved in the ASDS are:-
• Provision of agricultural inputs – seeds, fertilisers,
pesticides;
• Provision of credit;
• Provision of storage and warehousing; and
• Provision of marketing.
A number of organisations including Public Sector Agencies,
Cooperatives and farmer’s organisations at the district level
provide a variety of the above services, commonly referred to as
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