Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
उप-मिशन कृषि विस्तार (एसएमएई)
A Krishonnati Yojana sub-mission that funds States to run ATMA-based farmer training, demonstrations and Farm Schools, alongside central services any farmer can use directly — the Kisan Call Centre, mKisan advisories, and Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business Centres for agriculture graduates.
- ATMA districts covered
- 734 districts, 28 States & 5 UTs
- Umbrella scheme
- Krishonnati Yojana (since FY2017-18)
- Funding pattern
- 60:40 Centre:State (90:10 NE & Himalayan)
- Kisan Call Centre
- 1800-180-1551, 22 languages, 21 centres
- Farmers trained (2021-22 to 2023-24)
- ~39.9 lakh
- Sanctioned extension posts
- 28,000+ nationwide
- Current guidelines
- ATMA Operational Guidelines, 2025
- Small/marginal & women quota
- Min. 50% small/marginal, 30% women
Quick Summary
The key points from this page in about two minutes — read it or have it read aloud.
Quick Summary
Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension exists because growing the right crop well isn't only about seed and fertiliser — it's about a farmer actually hearing, in time, what the latest research, weather and market conditions call for. SMAE is the Centre's umbrella for that outreach: it funds States to run ATMA, the district-level machinery that organises farmer training, on-field demonstrations, exposure visits and "Farm Schools" for selected farmers each season, and separately funds a set of central services any farmer can use directly — the Kisan Call Centre, the mKisan SMS/voice advisory service, and Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business Centres for agriculture graduates wanting to start their own advisory venture.
A farmer doesn't enrol in "SMAE" as such. For training, demonstrations and Farm Schools, the district ATMA and its Block Technology Team pick villages on a rotating basis, with a deliberate quota — at least half small or marginal farmers, at least three in ten women — so it isn't always the same well-connected few who benefit. For instant advice, anyone can simply call the Kisan Call Centre, toll-free, in their own language, any day of the week. And for an agriculture graduate, there's a genuine door in of their own: a free 45-day residential training, after which a bank loan carrying a government subsidy funds an Agri-Clinic or Agri-Business Centre. SMAE sits today under the Krishonnati Yojana umbrella, alongside the Centre's other agriculture schemes. The page ahead lists the exact funding shares, cost norms and helpline details.
Overview
Agricultural extension in India runs, at its core, through ATMA — the Agricultural Technology Management Agency scheme, "Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms," launched in 2005-06. From 2014-15, this and related extension activities were organised as the Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE) under a broader National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology (NMAET). That standalone umbrella did not last: from financial year 2017-18, SMAE was formally subsumed as a sub-scheme of the "Krishonnati Yojana" (KY) umbrella, where it remains today — reconfirmed by the Union Cabinet's 3 October 2024 rationalisation of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare schemes into exactly two umbrellas, PM-RKVY for sustainable agriculture and Krishonnati Yojana for food security and crop husbandry, with a combined outlay of ₹1,01,321.61 crore.
SMAE has two parts. As a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, it funds ATMA — an autonomous society at each covered district, with a Block Technology Team at every block, running a "cafeteria" of farmer-facing activities: multi-day training (inter-State, within-State and, since the 2025 guidelines, a shorter within-district Recognition-of-Prior-Learning course), on-field demonstrations, exposure visits, Farm Schools on a progressive farmer's field, Kisan Melas, and the mobilisation of Farmer Interest Groups and Food Security Groups toward eventually forming FPOs. As Central Sector schemes, run directly by the Centre, SMAE also funds the Kisan Call Centre, Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business Centres (ACABC), the Mass Media Scheme (including the Digital Agriculture Extension Framework), Diploma in Agricultural Extension Services for Input Dealers (DAESI), the four regional Extension Education Institutes, and MANAGE, the national extension-management institute.
Beneficiary selection for ATMA activities is deliberately structured, not first-come-first-served: every Panchayat in a block is covered in rotation, at least 50% of beneficiaries must be small and marginal farmers, at least 30% must be women, and a "Farmer Friend" — one for every two villages — is the actual local point of contact who helps identify and mobilise farmers. The 2025 revision of the ATMA Operational Guidelines added a sharper focus on post-harvest and market-led extension (linking farmers to e-NAM, contract farming and FPOs), and introduced Recognition of Prior Learning — a 2-day village-level course that first assesses what a farmer already knows before filling specific gaps, ending in a "progressive farmer" certificate.
Scheme highlights
A whole cafeteria of training formats, not one course
Seven-day inter-State training, five-day within-State training, and a new 2-day within-district Recognition-of-Prior-Learning course — each priced and structured differently under the 2025 guidelines.
Quotas built into who actually gets picked
At least 50% of ATMA beneficiaries must be small or marginal farmers and at least 30% must be women, with every Panchayat in a block covered on a rotating basis — not the same familiar names each season.
A call centre that works in your own language
The Kisan Call Centre (1800-180-1551) runs 6 AM to 10 PM every day of the week, from 21 locations, answering in 22 Indian languages — no appointment or district office visit needed.
A genuine individual entry point: Agri-Clinics
An agriculture (or allied-subject) graduate can complete a free 45-day MANAGE-coordinated training and then apply for a bank loan carrying a 36-44% government subsidy to set up their own Agri-Clinic & Agri-Business Centre.
Feeds farmers toward FPOs, not just one-off training
Farmer Interest Groups and Food Security Groups mobilised under ATMA are meant to consolidate into Farmer Producer Organisations over time, linking training to a longer-term collective outcome.
A 2025 rework toward the market, not just the field
The latest ATMA guidelines add dedicated market-led extension modules — covering e-NAM, the APLM Act, contract farming and warehousing — alongside the older production-focused curriculum.
Major components
States pick from these based on local priorities — each has its own eligibility and application process, detailed on its own page where one exists.
ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency)
The Centrally Sponsored Scheme core of SMAE — district-level training, demonstrations, exposure visits, Farm Schools and Kisan Melas, delivered through a State-approved Annual Action Plan.
Farmers selected through their district ATMA and Block Technology Team
Kisan Call Centre (KCC)
A toll-free, multilingual phone advisory service any farmer can call directly for crop, weather, scheme or market queries, escalated to Subject Matter Specialists when needed.
Any farmer wanting instant advice, no enrolment needed
Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business Centres (ACABC)
Free 45-day training for agriculture graduates, followed by a bank loan with a government subsidy to set up a paid advisory or input-supply business serving local farmers.
Agriculture and allied-subject graduates wanting to start their own venture
Mass Media & Digital Agriculture Extension
Radio, television and digital content — including community radio stations and the Digital Agriculture Extension Framework — carrying farming advisories to a wider audience than in-person training can reach.
Farmers reached through radio, TV or digital advisory channels
MANAGE, EEIs & DAESI
The National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, four regional Extension Education Institutes, and the Diploma in Agricultural Extension Services for Input Dealers train the extension workers and input dealers who ultimately reach farmers.
Extension officials, input dealers and agri-professionals seeking formal training
What you get
Free training, not a paid course
Selected farmers attend training, demonstrations, exposure visits and Farm Schools at no cost — travel, boarding and materials are covered under the ATMA cafeteria's cost norms.
Expert advice on demand, any day
The Kisan Call Centre and the mKisan SMS/voice advisory service put a Subject Matter Specialist a phone call away, without waiting for the next scheduled village training.
A subsidised path into self-employment
ACABC turns a free training into a genuine loan-plus-subsidy route for agriculture graduates to open their own agri-clinic, rather than only looking for salaried work.
A push toward collective bargaining power
Mobilising farmers into Interest Groups and, eventually, FPOs gives smallholders combined buying and selling power that an individual farmer training session alone can't provide.
Who is eligible
Both lists come from the notified operational guidelines — meeting the left column is not enough if anything in the right column applies to your family.
You qualify if
- You are a small or marginal farmer, or a woman farmer, whose Panchayat falls in your district ATMA's current training/demonstration rotation
- You are an agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry, dairy or veterinary science graduate/diploma-holder (roughly age 18-60) wanting to set up an Agri-Clinic & Agri-Business Centre
- You are rural youth aged 18 or above, at least 5th-standard educated, wanting Skill Training or a Recognition-of-Prior-Learning certificate
- You are any farmer wanting advisory support through the Kisan Call Centre or mKisan — no prior selection needed for this component
Excluded — even with land
- Expecting a single online form for "SMAE" itself — ATMA training, demonstration and Farm School slots are selected by the district ATMA and Block Technology Team, not opened for direct individual application
- Living in a Panchayat your Block Technology Team hasn't yet covered in this rotation cycle
- Expecting the ACABC loan-plus-subsidy without first completing the mandatory free 45-day MANAGE-coordinated training
- Expecting a direct cash payment — SMAE funds training, advisory services and infrastructure, not an income-support transfer like PM-KISAN
Where this scheme applies
A central scheme with pan-India coverage — open to eligible farmers in every State and Union Territory.
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — the online form takes ten minutes when nothing is missing.
Aadhaar card
Used for beneficiary identification when the Block Technology Team finalises training, demonstration or Farm School participants.
Educational certificate
Required for the Agri-Clinic & Agri-Business Centre and DAESI components, to confirm the agriculture/allied-subject qualification MANAGE's training programme requires.
Bank passbook
Needed for the ACABC loan-plus-subsidy to be disbursed, and for any Skill Training of Rural Youth stipend where applicable.
How to apply, step by step
The same six steps apply whether you register yourself online or sit down at a CSC.
- 1
District ATMA prepares its Annual Action Plan
The district ATMA society, under its Governing Board, plans that year's trainings, demonstrations, exposure visits and Farm Schools, funded against the State's approved plan.
- 2
Block Technology Team selects villages and farmers
Working with the Farmer Friend network, the BTT covers Panchayats on rotation, keeping to the minimum 50% small/marginal-farmer and 30% women quota.
- 3
Farmer attends the training, demo or Farm School
At no cost to the farmer — travel, boarding and materials are covered under the ATMA cafeteria's fixed cost norms for that activity.
- 4
Separately: an agri-graduate completes MANAGE training
A free 45-day residential training precedes any ACABC bank loan application — this step runs independently of the ATMA village-level cycle.
- 5
Any farmer can call the Kisan Call Centre anytime
No enrolment required — dial 1800-180-1551, and if the Farm Tele Advisor can't resolve the query, it's escalated to a Subject Matter Specialist.
Important dates
ATMA launched
2005-06
Centrally Sponsored Scheme "Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms"
SMAE / NMAET launched
2014-15
Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension organised under the National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology
Subsumed into Krishonnati Yojana
FY2017-18
NMAET ceased as a standalone umbrella; SMAE became a Krishonnati Yojana sub-scheme
Krishonnati Yojana reconfirmed
3 October 2024
Cabinet rationalised Ministry of Agriculture schemes into PM-RKVY and Krishonnati Yojana, combined outlay ₹1,01,321.61 crore
Facts last checked
2 September 2026
Against the Operational Guidelines of ATMA Scheme, 2025 (agriwelfare.gov.in), the official Kisan Call Centre information sheet, and PIB Parliament replies from February 2025 and December 2025 on ATMA coverage and farmer training numbers
Check your eligibility
Straight from the notified criteria. Nothing you enter leaves your phone.
0 of 4 answered
This checker applies the criteria in the official operational guidelines, but it is guidance — only the state government’s verification against the land records is final.
Downloads
Official documents only — everything below is hosted on the government's own servers.
Official links & helpline
Bookmark the portal itself — no third-party site can release, block or speed up a payment.
- Krishi Vistar — Directorate of Extension portalkrishivistar.gov.in — the nodal portal listing ATMA, SMAE, ACABC, Kisan Call Centre, Mass Media and the Extension Education Institutes
- mKisan portalmkisan.gov.in — register for free SMS/voice farming advisories in your own language
- Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfareagriwelfare.gov.in — the nodal department administering SMAE under Krishonnati Yojana
- Kisan Call CentreToll-free 1800-180-1551, 6 AM-10 PM every day, in 22 Indian languages
Helpline
24×7 IVRS and help desk, run by the ministry — the call is the fastest way to check a stuck payment.
Frequently asked questions
What is SMAE, and is it a scheme a farmer signs up for?
SMAE is a Krishonnati Yojana sub-mission that funds States to run farmer extension programmes, mainly through the district-level ATMA machinery. It isn't something an individual applies to as a whole — farmers are selected as beneficiaries for specific activities like training, demonstrations and Farm Schools.
Is ATMA the same thing as SMAE?
ATMA is SMAE's main Centrally Sponsored Scheme component. SMAE also separately funds the Kisan Call Centre, Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business Centres, Mass Media/Digital Agriculture Extension, DAESI, the Extension Education Institutes and MANAGE, as Central Sector schemes.
How is the funding shared between the Centre and States?
60:40 (Centre:State) for most States, 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan States, and 100% Centre-funded for Union Territories, for every ATMA component.
How does a farmer get free training or attend a demonstration?
There is no online form. The local Farmer Friend and Block Technology Team identify and mobilise farmers Panchayat by Panchayat on a rotating basis, with at least 50% small/marginal farmers and 30% women. Ask your Block Agriculture Officer or district ATMA office directly.
What is the Kisan Call Centre number, and when is it open?
1800-180-1551, toll-free, from 6 AM to 10 PM every day of the week, answered in 22 Indian languages from 21 centres nationwide.
I'm an agriculture graduate — can I get a loan to start my own agri-clinic?
Yes, through the Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business Centres component. Complete a free 45-day MANAGE-coordinated training first, then apply for a bank loan (up to ₹20 lakh individually, or ₹1 crore for a 5-graduate group project) carrying a 36-44% government subsidy.
What is the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) training added in 2025?
A 2-day, village-level bridge course that first assesses what a farmer already knows through a structured questionnaire, then fills specific knowledge gaps, ending with a "progressive farmer" certificate.
Does SMAE still exist as "NMAET"?
No. NMAET as a standalone umbrella was subsumed into Krishonnati Yojana from financial year 2017-18, and Krishonnati Yojana was itself reconfirmed as one of only two Ministry of Agriculture scheme umbrellas, alongside PM-RKVY, by the Cabinet on 3 October 2024. SMAE now sits directly under Krishonnati Yojana.
How many farmers has SMAE/ATMA actually reached?
Around 2.1 crore farmers benefited under ATMA between 2016-17 and 2020-21 alone, including over 53 lakh women farmers, with roughly 40 lakh more trained between 2021-22 and 2023-24, across 734 districts as of the most recent count.
Can I get farming advice without going through ATMA at all?
Yes — call the Kisan Call Centre (1800-180-1551) any day, or register on the mKisan portal for free SMS/voice advisories in your language; both are open to any farmer without prior selection.
Still have questions?
The FAQs above cover the common ones. For anything about your specific application, the ministry helpline 1800-180-1551 is the authoritative answer — and we are happy to point you in the right direction.