10. Facilities available to Citizens for obtaining Information

     The following facilities exist in the University to enable the citizens to obtain information:  

a)      Public Relations Office

b)      Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC)

c)      Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)

d)      Meteorology

e)      Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell (DEMIC)

f)        Kisan Call Centre

a) Public Relations Office

            The Public Relations Office acts as a liaison office for the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.  Its main function include providing information and guidance to public and visitors; entertaining VIPs and important delegates; arranging educational tours for visitors; and interfacing with the media.

            Working hours: 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM (Weekdays)

            Phone: 0422-6611302

            Email: pro@tnau.ac.in

b) Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC)

The ATIC provides on-campus assistance to farmers on a "single window" delivery system. Its objectives include: to provide "single window" delivery system for the farmers; to facilitate direct access for farmers to institutional sources; and to provide a mechanism for feedback from the users to the institution.  Its main functions are:

1. Sale of seeds, planting materials, ornamental plants, processed products, etc. 
2. Providing services such as plant clinic, farm advisory, and soil and water testing.
3. Disseminating information through exhibitions, demonstrations, audio-visual shows, farm literature, etc.
4. The Kisan Call Centre's toll free phone is also placed at ATIC.  This helps farmers to easily access the TNAU with out incurring any expenditure.

Working hours: 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM (Weekdays)

Phone: 0422-6611315

Email: kvk@tnau.ac.in

c) Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)

Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) is an institutional arrangement of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to demonstrate the "Applications" of Science and Technology in the farmers fields with the help of a multi-disciplinary team of scientists.  It is also called as a frontline transfer of technology or extension system.

Mandate

1. Organizing vocational training programmes in agriculture and allied enterprises.
2. On-farm testing of agricultural crops, horticulture, livestock production, fisheries etc.
3. Conducting frontline demonstrations on major cereals, oil seeds and pulse crops and other enterprises related to agriculture.
4. Offering in-service training to field level extension officers.

Activities

1. Organizing on-campus and off-campus trainings to farmers, farm women and rural youth in agriculture allied fields.
2. Conducting trainings to animators of non-government organizations.
3. Training the middle level extension workers of State Department of Agriculture / Horticulture / Animal Husbandry.
4. Conducting trainings to the beneficiaries of TANWA and Self Help Groups.
5. Conducting FLD on cereals, oil seeds, pulses and vegetables.
6. On farm testing of improved technologies.
7. Organizing extension activities like Farmers Day, Field Day, Village Seminars, Campaigns, Exhibitions, Radio Talks, Farm Science Clubs, Field Visits, etc.
8. Forming self help groups.
9. Organizing self-employment oriented trainings to unemployed rural youth.
10. Providing farm advisory services.
11. Making diagnostic field visits.
12. Village adoption programme, seed village concepts.

         Working hours: 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM (Weekdays)

          Phone: 0422-6611245

Email: kvk@tnau.ac.in  

d) Meteorology

1. District-wise seasonal rainfall forecast is being issued for Southwest and Northeast monsoon seasons through the Department of Agriculture and Research Stations of TNAU for the farmers to aid in agricultural decision making.
2. Medium Range Weather Forecast based agro-advisory bulletins are prepared for Coimbatore region twice in a week and issued to the farmers for making tactical decisions.
3. Weather forecast information is discussed in FDG conveners meeting as well as in the Zonal meetings every month conducted in the Directorate of Extension Education.
4. This department is maintaining the agromet observatory at TNAU main campus and issues historical as well as current weather data for the scientists for research purpose.
5. This Department helps in maintaining all the other agromet observatories maintained at TNAU colleges and Research Stations for getting quality data.
6. This Department helps in preparation of contingency plans for unforeseen situation such as flood, cyclone and drought.

         Working hours: 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM (Weekdays)

         Phone: 0422-6611319

Email: meteorology@tnau.ac.in

e) Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell (DEMIC)

The Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell (DEMIC) has been established in the Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (CARDS), TNAU in order to forecast the supply and demand of important agricultural commodities in Tamil Nadu; to forecast future prices of major agricultural commodities; to study the state and national market situation related to important commodities; to disseminate the market and price information on to the farmers for planning, production and holding stocks; and to suggest policy measures to the Government of Tamil Nadu.

            The main activities of DEMIC include forecasting price for agricultural commodities such as cotton, banana, chillies, turmeric, maize, small onion and gingelly based on the past price data collected from various major markets of Tamil Nadu and also based on the traders survey; maintaining a website www.tnagmark.tn.nic.in; developing and maintaining data base on commodity prices, area, production and productivity details; running a E-newsletter ie., Demic info Series; dissemination of agricultural commodity prices to farmers through newspapers and website; and offering export related information to traders.

         Working hours: 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM (Weekdays)

          Phone: 0422-6611439

Email:  directorcards@tnau.ac.in 

f) Kisan Call Centre

            With a view to bridge the gap between farmers and farm scientists and development functionaries the Government of India has formulated a scheme called Kisan Call Centre. Under this scheme any farmer in the country by dialing the number 1551 can interact in his local language with experts. This centre functions at two levels.

Level – I

            This level – I office for the Tamil Nadu state is located at Chennai. A team of young farm graduates are positioned to receive the farmers' calls.  The farmers calls are first received at this level. They will provide the required information to the farmers. If level – I staff finds any need to direct the call of the farmers to any expert at level – II the call will be directed to level – II.

Level – II

            The experts available in the premises of University, Commissionarate of Agriculture or some such institutional territory constitute the level–II.  The level–II experts will be relatively senior staff and have rich experience and knowledge to tackle any field problem of the farmers. The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University is one of the level–II offices in Tamil Nadu.

Advantages

1)  The farmers can contact any expert over phone without paying phone charges. This service is free service. The charges will be borne by the Government of India.

2)  Farmers can interact with the experts in local language.