A total of 127 Agri Extension Officers (AEOs) have been appointed in Coimbatore district under the Uzhavar Aluvalar Thodarbu Thittam (UATT) 2.0 scheme, a Tamil Nadu government initiative aimed at streamlining agricultural support services for farmers. The appointments, announced recently, integrate field-level officers from the departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Agricultural Marketing, and Agricultural Engineering to create a unified interface.

This addresses previous challenges where farmers had to approach multiple departments separately for scheme information, subsidies, technical advice, and other needs. The UATT 2.0 builds on earlier versions of the Farmer-Officer Contact Programme, emphasizing direct, panchayat-level outreach to enhance accessibility and efficiency in rural areas.

Under the scheme, AEOs are deployed area-wise at the village panchayat level. Coimbatore has 228 village panchayats, and each AEO covers a minimum of two panchayats. According to government guidelines, one AEO is allocated for agricultural areas ranging from 2,922 to 3,200 acres, accommodating one to three panchayats per block. This structure ensures broader coverage and regular farmer-officer interactions to disseminate updates on crop patterns, government schemes, subsidies, and best practices.

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The move responds to long-standing demands from the farming community for a single-point contact system to simplify interactions and improve service delivery. By consolidating expertise across departments, the initiative seeks to provide comprehensive guidance on diverse crops, including food grains, horticultural produce, and related infrastructure needs. Officials expect the appointments to strengthen grassroots extension services and boost farmer welfare in one of Tamil Nadu's key agricultural districts.

The UATT 2.0 has faced some opposition in the past, particularly from horticulture department officials concerned about integration potentially diluting specialized knowledge in high-value crops like fruits, vegetables, and flowers. However, the government has proceeded with implementation to promote unified, farmer-centric extension work.

With these new AEOs now in place, the scheme is poised to roll out more effectively in Coimbatore, contributing to Tamil Nadu's broader efforts to modernize agricultural support amid evolving rural needs. Farmers are encouraged to connect with their local AEOs for scheme-related assistance.

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