Question

Which of the following programme was introduced to bridge the gap between Research System and the Extension System Programme

• A. Rastryya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
• B. National Agricultural Extension Project (NAEP).
• C. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
• D. Institutional Village Linkage Programme (IVLP).

Hint:

Think of "Linkage" in IVLP as the key word.
The program establishes a direct, structural link between the "Institute" (Research) and the "Village" (Extension and Farmers).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Agricultural progress relies heavily on the effective transfer of technology from laboratories to agricultural fields.
A major bottleneck in developing nations is the disconnect between research systems (generating technologies) and extension systems (disseminating technologies to farmers).
To address this, specialized programs are designed to establish direct, bi-directional communication channels among researchers, extension workers, and farming communities.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The Institutional Village Linkage Programme (IVLP) was launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 1995.
It is an innovative program designed to facilitate direct research-extension-farmer linkages.
Under IVLP, multi-disciplinary teams of scientists work directly with selected villages to assess, refine, and demonstrate agricultural technologies on farmers' fields.
This ensures that the technologies are highly compatible with the local socio-economic and biophysical environments.
By involving scientists directly in the extension process, it bridges the historical gap between the research system and the traditional extension system.
In contrast, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) is a broad, decentralized financial scheme to boost agricultural growth.
The National Agricultural Extension Project (NAEP) aimed to strengthen the administrative infrastructure of extension services.
MGNREGA is a rural employment guarantee scheme focusing on livelihood security and labor-intensive works.
Therefore, IVLP is the specific program introduced to establish direct institutional village-level linkages to bridge the research-extension gap.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The program introduced to bridge this critical gap is the Institutional Village Linkage Programme (IVLP).