KVKS TO CREATE AWARENESS ABOUT FARM LAWS’ BENEFITS

LUCKNOW: Even as the stand-off between farmer groups and government continues over the new farm laws, efforts are on to persuade farmers in favour of the laws so that they discontinue their protest.

Agricultural experts at Krishi Vigyan Kendras across Uttar Pradesh have been asked to reach out to farmers in their area and tell them about the benefits of the new farm laws. Progressive farmers have also been asked to do the same.

“We have been asked to talk to farmers who are in touch with our KVK and allay their doubts about the new farm laws. We are preparing the list of farmers who are in touch with us for the exercise,” said Sandeep Singh, in charge of KVK in Baghpat district.

KVKs come under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and have the mandate to provide scientific information about agriculture to farmers. In UP, there are 84 KVKs spread across various districts and around 400 experts associated with it. Apart from providing information about farming, KVKs also provide vocational training, including pickling and farm management to farmers.

“Around 800 farmers in the district are in touch with us. We have decided to send them short messages on their registered mobile numbers about the benefits of the new farm laws. We will also try to call at least two farmers from every village in the district by the end of February and discuss the new laws,” said Dipesh Pal, in charge of KVK in Moradabad district.

The KVKs have also been asked to take help of progressive farmers in the exercise. Summer Srivastav , a progressive farmer who grows sugarcane and mushroom in Shahjahanpur, said, “I personally feel that the new farm laws will benefit farmers in the long run.”