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This department is mostly involved in transfer of technology from laboratory to field for large-scale adoption by the tea industry. The department also provides feedback on regional field problems to the research station and organizes seminars and training programmes for the benefit to the tea planters of North East India. History and Organisation of Advisory servicesOn the recommendations of a Commission of Enquiry in
1935-36, advisory services of Tocklai was started in 1938 with the appointment
of Messers F. S. Mitchell, E. J. Winter and Dr. E. K. Woodford. In 1939, Mr. N.
M. Macgregor joined as Senior Advisory Officer. With this four advisory centres
became operational, one each in Darjeeling, Dooars, Cachar and Tocklai. The
World War-II disrupted the advisory services, which had to be abandoned
temporarily during 1942-1944. The Surma Valley advisory branch was reopened in
1947 after a closure for six years. But in 1949, it was handed over to Pakistan
Tea Association and the staffs were transferred to Tocklai. Following a report
of Mr. P.M. Grover, representative of the Activities:
Advisory visitsAdvisory officers located in a centre are allocated certain number of tea gardens. The concerned officer pays two routine visits in a year to each of these member gardens to advise on site-specific field problems. He also assists the Manager of the estate in planning his developmental work. In addition to two routine visits, special visits as and when necessary are provided on receipt of requests from members. Special advice on performance analysis of estates as required is also being taken up. Demand for special visits increases in situations like drought, flood, hail, sudden outbreak of pest and diseases, etc. Training and demonstration programmeTraining of supervisory and field staff of the estates is also undertaken by the Advisory officers a number of times in a year for a group of tea estates. This facilitates downward flow of technology to the grass root level workers by improving the perception of technical information leading to better implementation of technology. Area Scientific Committee Meetings and SeminarsThe Area Scientific Committee (ASC) is formed by a group of leading tea planters in each region to ensure closer and more frequent interaction between the Tocklai scientists and the planters on problems of the different regions. The concerned Advisory officer is the Secretary of this committee who organizes regular meetings and seminars on Agriculture and Manufacturing. The committee also help the Director, TRA in identifying region specific research needs. Training and lecture coursesThe Advisory department also organizes refresher courses on Field Management, Drainage and Tea Manufacture for tea planters. Training courses of 5 months and 6 weeks duration are also held on Tea Culture and Vegetative Propagation every year. Operational Research plotsThe concept of "seeing is believing" is the basis of this programme. Each Advisory Officer selects appropriate sections to provide necessary agro-inputs after identifying the limitations. Special problems like soil erosion, seepage, inadequate outfall, etc., are also included in this programme. Field investigation on local problemProminent crop reducing factors like chronic pest infestation, drainage etc., are getting special attention both at advisory and at research departments. While the concerned scientific department is involved in trying out effective methods to combat such special problems, the Advisory Officers are involved in regular monitoring of the same. Water management cellThe water management cell of this department provides extension services on drainage investigations (planning & design), design flood control measures, bio-resources engineering measures for landslides and river erosion protection, design of pump drainage, planning and design of irrigation system and water harvesting. Identification of pests and diseases/symptomsAdvisory centres also help identify pests and diseases/symptoms in infected specimens sent from various member gardens and provide remedial measures. Officers at Advisory Department, Tocklai
Dr.B.K.Goswami,Chief Advisory Officer For more information and service, contact:
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scientific department in the Cachar Plantation Enquiry Committee, an advisory
branch at Cachar was set up. In 1953, the Dooars branch was reorganized and
shifted to Nagrakata. The first Lecture Course organized by the department was
held at Tocklai in the same year. The advisory network proliferated further
with a branch at North Bank in 1957. Towards late sixties, a forum called Area
Scientific Committee (ASC) was created to ensure closer and more frequent
interaction between the Tocklai scientists and the planters on problems of the
different regions. Consequently, nine area scientific committees were formed in
different regions to suggest ways and means by which the advisory services
could be improved and areas of research considered to be of importance to
specific region. In the seventies, two more branches were opened one each in
Tripura and Upper Assam to cater to the need of the planters of those areas.