Krsihi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) are agricultural extension centres created by ICAR (Indian Council for Agricultural Research) and its affiliated institutions at district level to provide various types of farm support to the agricultural sector. The first KVK was established during 1974 (Pondichery) and has grown as a largest network in the country.
KVKs provide several farm support activities like providing technology dissemination to farmers, training, awareness etc. To achieve the set objectives KVKs undertake following types of activities in the adopted villages: (1) Farm Advisory Service (2) Training programme for different categories of people. (3) Training programme for the extension functionaries. (4) Front Line Demonstration (Fill) (5) On Farm Testing (OFT).
They play a vital role in conducting on farm testing to demonstrate location specific agricultural technologies. KVKs conducts demonstrations to prove the potential of various crops at farmers’ fields. They also conduct need based training programmes for the benefit of farmers and farm women, rural youths. KVKs are creating awareness about improved agricultural technologies through large number of extension programmes. Critical and quality inputs like seeds, planting materials, organic products, biofertilizers and livestock, piglet and poultry strains are produced by the KVKs and made available to the farmers.
As on January 2016, there are 642 KVKs. Out of these, 435 are under State Agricultural Universities (SAU) and Central Agricultural University (CAU), 55 are under ICAR Institutes, 100 under NGOs, 35 under State Governments, and the remaining 17 under other educational institutions.
As per the mandate of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, K.V.K. will operate under the administrative control of State Agricultural University (SAU) or Central Institute situated in a particular area. Different scientists from different disciplines as per the specific requirement of that particular area are posted in the Krishi Vigyan Kendra as Training Associate.
The KVKs are evolving as the future grass root level institutions for empowering the farming community. KVKs have made dent and has become part of decentralized planning and implementation instrument to achieve desired level of growth in agriculture and allied sector.
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