ICAR proposes 100 more Krishi Vigyan Kendras for larger districts in 12th Plan

With an aim to bring about the second green revolution through adoption of effective scientific agricultural methods, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under Agriculture Ministry has proposed 100 more Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) across the country in the 12th Plan.

In a proposal sent to the apex planning body, Planning Commission, ICAR has said that in big districts, one KVK is not effective as farmers have to travel long to access the extension services — a system where farmers are given access to latest agri practices, scientific methods, seeds, fertilizers and other required services. So there is a need to have one more KVK in big districts.

It proposes that districts with a radius of 50 kilometers must have one more KVK to give easy access to farmers to the learn latest agri practices. The plan will require Rs 500 crore.

At present, the country has 584 KVKs across the country, one in each district. The Government allocates Rs 1,200 crore annually for this to ICAR.

The Government has emphasised time and again that the only way forward to increase production is through science-based agricultural practices as land availability is decreasing.

In addition, KVKs affect the financial condition of farmers by providing timely information about prices.

However, the record has been patchy. A 2010 report of the Food and Policy Research Institute says that farmers have not been able to get the benefit of global food price increases and high levels of inflation because they have little access to key information on production technologies, pest control and remunerative markets.