Krishi Vigyan Kendra India’s Institutional Innovation Inspiring the World of the 21st Century FAO

KVKs are Unique…... No other agricultural system – large or small -- in the world has front line decentralized research capacity at District Level KVKs are a model for adaptive research to diagnose and solve problems emerging from District agro-ecosystems KVKs are perfectly located to lead and incubate local innovation

KVKs are particularly vital in the 21st century, as farmers face: Natural Resource constraints: water, land, biodiversity Climate change: drought, warming, extremes Increasing transboundary risks: from trade and traffic Market demands and price volatility

KVKs Lead Local Innovation KVKs are best placed to draw in feedback from District, Block, Village level institutions, NGOs, PCs, and Farmers’ Federations, on Location-Specific, Context-dependent problems KVKs are best placed to diagnose field problems, characterize field conditions, then apply informed, evidence-based “pressure” on the NARS: SAUs, ICAR, State research centres, and the entire network of fellow KVKs KVKs will enable the entire NARS to become more locally relevant, more USEFUL

KVK SYSTEM – PLATFORM OF SCIENCE & SOCIETY

Rewinding the process …… The Indian Council of Agricultural Research is an apex body to co-ordinate, guide and manage agricultural research, education and extension in the country. The ICAR has played a pioneering role in ushering Green Revolution and subsequent developments in Indian agriculture. Based on the recommendation of the Education Commission (1964-66), discussion by the Planning Commission and the Inter-Ministerial Committee, and further recommendation by the committee headed by Dr. Mohan Sinha Mehta appointed by ICAR in 1973, The first Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) was established at Pondicherry in 1974 under the administrative control of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.

Timeline Expansion …… KVKs have grown as a large network in the country with a quantum jump in number reaching to 630 during XI Five Year Plan and 634 at present.

Uniqueness…… Creation of valuable resources in terms of manpower and assets Confirmation of technologies to suit local specificity Showcasing the frontier technologies Capacity building among stakeholders Front runner in technological application, information and inputs Participatory approaches in planning, implementing, executing & evaluation

KVK aims at The activities of KVK include Technology assessment, refinement and demonstration of technology /products The activities of KVK include on-farm testing to identify the location specificity of agricultural technologies under various farming systems frontline demonstrations to establish its production potentials on the farmers’ fields, training of farmers to update their knowledge and skills in modern agricultural technologies training of extension personnel to orient them in the frontier areas of technology development work as resource and knowledge centre of agricultural technology for supporting initiatives of public, private and voluntary sector for improving the agricultural economy of the district In addition, in order to speed up the process of dissemination of technology, a large number of various extension activities and production of seeds and planting materials are taken up by the KVKs.