Revamp state agri extension agencies

Krishi Vigyan Kendras are transforming agricultural extension and the learnings must be applied at the state level

Agricultural extension is undergoing a paradigm transformation which will help it shed the tag of the weakest link or a speed breaker in the process of farm development and, instead, make it a growth driver. Ironically, this metamorphosis is taking place not so much in the state extension services, where it is needed, as in the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) — agricultural science centres — run by farm research organisations with funding and guidance from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The extension services of the state governments remain, by and large, in a shambles. Their extension workers, apart from being too few in numbers (only one extension worker for 1,000 farmers), lack up-to-date technical knowledge and multi-disciplinary skills to play the expected role in the development of agriculture. But most of the 700 KVKs located all over the country are giving a new identity to the extension work by adding new dimensions to it.

ICAR’s deputy director-general A K Singh, in-charge of agricultural extension and KVKs, maintains that the concept of extension in the modern context goes far beyond technology transfer. It covers integration of technology with farming systems. The extension workers have, therefore, to be multi-skilled individuals capable of helping farmers utilise the latest know-how for economic gains. Their competence and knowledge base has to be wide enough for multi-tasking.

The KVKs perform a variety of functions, the basic one being assessing the relevance of new technologies under local conditions and suitably modifying them, if needed. They conduct technology demonstrations and train farmers and extension workers in utilising them. Besides, they assist farm entrepreneurs in formulating and implementing the projects involving specialty agriculture and value addition of the farm goods. Moreover, they produce seeds and seedlings of improved crop varieties for distribution to farmers. Going a step further, they even help in preparing district level agricultural development plans. They, thus, serve virtually as the agricultural knowledge and resource centres for the districts.

Recently, some novel and need-based programmes have been initiated through the KVKs to lend further momentum to agricultural growth and enhance farm incomes besides serving other objectives such as improving nutrition, empowering women and uplifting the socio-economic profile of the area. The three most significant among these initiatives are “Kshamta” (Knowledge System for Homestead Agriculture in Tribal Areas), “Vatica” (Value Addition and Technology Incubation Centres for Agriculture) and “Nari” (Nutri-centric Agricultural Resources and Innovations).

Kshamta is aimed basically at improving the economic condition and nutritional status of people in 125 tribal-dominated districts. This is sought to be done by upgrading the traditional farming systems by modernising them. Vatica, on the other hand, seeks to involve youth and others in taking up value-addition of farm products and setting up technologybased economic ventures. The KVKs provide them full research and development backing, including incubation of their projects, to ensure success. The new initiative Nari is intended to focus on the betterment of household nutrition by promoting nutri-cereals, nutrition gardening and nutrient-enriched (bio-fortified) crops as part of the homestead farming systems. The programme is largely women-centric as they play a major role in family nutrition.

This apart, the KVKs have also been made the nodal centres for the implementation of the “Krishi Kalyan Abhiyan” (agricultural welfare campaign) to ensure that the benefits of the government's welfare programmes actually reach the targeted farmers. About six lakh farmers in 117 backward districts have been covered under this drive in just one-and-half months. The farmers are being supplied new seeds and soil health cards and the KVKs also help them in making compost and getting their livestock vaccinated. Twentyfive more underdeveloped districts have recently been brought under this programme from the Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary on October 2.

Unsurprisingly, the performance rating of the KVKs carried out by the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has placed nearly 90 per cent of them in the top “A” and “B” categories. The state governments, thus, need to learn lessons from the KVKs to revamp their extension agencies for the benefit of farmers.