Announcement of IDA Supports Agricultural Extension Project in India on April 1, 1 982

. ' . FOR IMMEDIATE . .. .~. RELEASE: . •World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASE NO. 82/46 Contact: Hugh Blackman Apr i 1 1 , 1982 (202) 477-3879 IDA SUPPORTS AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PROJECT IN INDIA Some 5.5 million farm families in India's Andhra Pradesh state will be served by an agricultural extension project to be assisted with a credit of SOR 5.3 million ($6 million), the International Development Association, the World Bank affiliatei for concessionary lending, announced today. The $9.7 million project will reorganize and strengthen agricultural extension services in 22 districts in Andhra Pradesh. The various agencies that now offer extension services will be brought under a single service. The principles found to be successful under the Training and Visit System of extension will be adopted. The system calls for frequent in-service training of extension workers and regular, scheduled visits by extension workers to farmers• fields. • The Andhra Pradesh Agricultural Extension Project is the latest in a series of such projects supported by IDA. Since 1977, IDA has financed agri- cultural extension projects in twelve states. The IDA credit is for 50 years, including 10 years of grace; it carries no interest but bears a small annual service charge (0.5% on the undisbursed balanc~s of the credit, and 0.75% on the disbursed balances). - NOTE: IDAcredits are denominated in SDRs (Special Drawing Rights), which are valued on the basis of a 11 basket 11 of currencies; The U.S. dollar equivalent of the SOR amount of the IDA credit reflects the exchange rates existing at the time of negotiation of the credit • •