Matching with a strong research tradition the Indian Agricultural Research Institute has been a pioneer in the transfer of new agricultural technologies to extension agencies and farmers in the country. The Institute has developed new extension approaches and strategies. Starting from Intensive cultivation scheme, the Institute had taken initiative in evolving projects like National Demonstration Project, Operational Research Project, Seed Village Scheme, Mini-Kit Programme, Small and Marginal Farmers Development Programme, Integrated Whole Village Development Approach, Single Window System and Farmer-to- Farmer Quality Seed Production Programme.

To put the transfer of technology programme of the Institute at national level a separate Unit of Transfer of Technology (UTT) was established in 1984. Looking into location specific problems, UTT worked in different parts of the country like Fatehpur, Mirzapur, Allahabad, Uttar Kashi (now in Uttrakhand), Bulandshaher, Ghaziabad Districts of U.P., Mandla Districts in Madhya Pradesh, Sikar District in Rajasthan. As per recommendations of QRT (1983-1987) and approval of ICAR the Unit of Transfer of Technology was upgraded as Centre for Agricultural Technology Assessment and Transfer (CATAT) in 1998.