Latest news with #KrishiVigyanKendras
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Business Standard
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
House panel expresses concern over 30% staff gaps in Krishi Vigyan Kendras
A parliamentary committee on agriculture has expressed concerns over the 30 per cent staff shortage in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), which is 'affecting their core functions'. KVKs are the frontline of agriculture extension and are run by a plethora of organisations, starting from state agriculture universities (SAUs) to even social organisations and state governments. Recently, the Union agriculture ministry along with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and other associations undertook a fortnight-long campaign to understand and address farmers' issues and their concerns. The over 730 KVKs across the country were at the forefront of the campaign. In its report on 'Promotion of Climate Resilient Agriculture, and Natural & Organic Farming through KVKs', which was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Parliamentary Committee on Estimates said that the agriculture ministry's decision to increase staff strength from 16 to 20 per KVK is a welcome step but it will be ineffective without prompt recruitment. The panel said that the ministry should urgently address disparities in service conditions across KVKs by revising the memorandum of understanding (MoU) for non-ICAR KVKs — especially those hosted by SAUs and other organisations — to align their service conditions and benefits with those of ICAR KVK employees. It also said that the agriculture ministry needs to chalk out a robust and consistent funding strategy with long-term vision for the development of KVKs. The committee said while the proposed one-time grant of ₹2,500 crore may provide some immediate relief, it cannot serve as a substitute for predictable annual funding, reflecting the evolving needs of KVKs. The report also said that the current level of financial support of ₹31,500-46,500 per hectare over three years is grossly inadequate for farmers to transition towards organic farming due to low yields and economic strain. It batted for increased direct benefit transfer (DBT) for organic farming and also for continued support for a longer period of time. The report said that due to budget constraints, only 151 out of 310 districts, which are highly and very highly vulnerable to climate change, have been selected for National Innovations in Climate Resistant Agriculture (NICRA) adaptation activities. While acknowledging the importance of natural farming (NF) as a chemical-free, sustainable practice promoted under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), the House panel underscored the need for a standardised yet adaptable protocol, and recommended expanding NF beyond the Ganga corridor to ecologically sensitive and degraded regions.
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Business Standard
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Parliamentary panel flags 30% staff shortage in Krishi Vigyan Kendras
The panel said 30 per cent staff shortage in KVKs is hurting core functions and called for higher per hectare support and longer assistance for organic farming under DBT New Delhi A parliamentary committee on agriculture has expressed serious concerns over a 30 per cent staff shortage in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), which, according to the panel, is affecting their core functions. KVKs are the front-line institutions for agricultural extension and are run by a variety of organisations, including state agriculture universities, social organisations, and state governments. Recently, the Union Ministry of Agriculture, along with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and other associations, conducted a fortnight-long campaign to understand and address farmers' issues and concerns. Over 730 KVKs across the country were at the forefront of the campaign. The parliamentary panel on the promotion of climate-resilient agriculture and natural and organic farming through KVKs, in its report tabled in the Lok Sabha, said the agriculture ministry's plan to increase the sanctioned staff strength in each KVK from 16 to 20 is a welcome step, but would be ineffective without prompt recruitment. It recommended that the ministry urgently address disparities in service conditions across KVKs by revising the memorandum of understanding for non-ICAR KVKs, especially those hosted by state agriculture universities (SAUs) and other organisations, to align service conditions and benefits with those of ICAR KVK employees. The panel also urged the agriculture ministry to establish a robust and consistent funding strategy with a long-term vision for KVK development. It said that while the proposed one-time grant of ₹2,500 crore may offer immediate relief, it cannot substitute for predictable annual funding increases that reflect the evolving needs of KVKs. The report further stated that the current level of financial support of ₹31,500–46,500 per hectare over three years is grossly inadequate for farmers transitioning to organic farming, owing to low yields and financial strain. The panel recommended increasing the direct benefit transfer for organic farming and extending the duration of such support. It noted that due to budget constraints, only 151 of the 310 districts identified as highly and very highly vulnerable to climate change have been selected for adaptation activities under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) programme. On natural farming, the panel acknowledged its importance as a chemical-free, sustainable practice promoted under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF). It underscored the need for a standardised yet adaptable protocol and recommended expanding natural farming beyond the Ganga corridor to ecologically sensitive and degraded regions.
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Dwarf virus hits paddy fields, farmers forced to re-sow stare are financial loss
1 2 Patiala: Farmers across several sub-mountainous districts of Punjab are grappling with a resurgence of the Southern Rice Black-streaked Dwarf Virus (SRBSDV), locally known as the Fiji or dwarf virus. The outbreak has affected paddy fields and threatens the yield of the upcoming kharif season. In response, some farmers have uprooted infected crops and re-sown paddy, incurring significant financial losses. Agriculture director Jaswant Singh confirmed that the virus has been detected in a few districts -- Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Sangrur, Patiala, Mohali, and Nawanshahar -- but has not yet spread widely. "We are monitoring the situation and guiding farmers for timely action. It is critical to detect symptoms early and act promptly," he said, urging farmers to report any signs of dwarfing immediately to Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) or Panjab Agricultural University (PAU) experts. In Ropar, chief agriculture officer Rakesh Kumar reported virus infestation in around 100 acres. Awareness camps are being held in villages alongside ongoing field surveys. The district has a total paddy cultivation area of 39,000 hectares. Patiala district has also reported infections in villages under Samana, Rajpura, Ghanaur, and Patiala subdivisions. About 300 acres show signs of infestation, though actual crop uprooting remains limited, only a few acres in Mohabbatpura and three acres in Ghanaur, according to agriculture department officials. SRBSDV is transmitted by the whitebacked planthopper (WBPH) and severely stunts plant growth. Infected plants develop narrow upright leaves, weak roots, and are nearly half or one-third of their normal height. In advanced stages, the crop may die prematurely, leading to near-total yield loss. "This year, most of the affected crop belongs to the PR 131 variety. Farmers, in panic, have started uprooting the affected paddy and resowing either Basmati or PR 126," said Jaswinder Singh, chief agriculture officer, Patiala. He noted that nearly 2.33 lakh hectares in the district are under paddy cultivation this year, with 20% under PR 131. Farmers say they are bearing heavy losses due to re-sowing. "We are spending between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per acre on re-sowing and about Rs 1,500 per acre for spraying insecticides to manage the infection," said Sarbjit Singh, a farmer from Mohabbatpura village in Patiala. "There will be yield loss for this late-sown crop, and we may face hurdles during the late procurement period due to high moisture content," he added. Despite following recommended preventive measures such as nursery sprays and sowing after June 15, some farmers still faced infections, raising concerns about the effectiveness of current advisories. "Even after spraying during the nursery stage and sowing after June 15, our recommended PR 131 and 132 crops were hit. Only my PR 126 was safe, but rice millers don't buy it readily, so we avoid growing it," Sarbjit said, also recalling similar infections in 2022 when no compensation was offered despite multiple representations to authorities. Bhagwant Singh, another farmer from the same village, said he had uprooted paddy on around seven acres and re-sown another variety. PAU and the state agriculture department reiterated the importance of preventive measures. They attributed the outbreak to early sowing, inadequate insecticide application during the nursery stage, and conducive humidity levels for virus transmission. AS Dhatt, director of research at PAU, stated, "Early sowing, before June 15, has been one of the major contributing factors. In 2022, similar patterns were observed. Proper spraying during the nursery phase is critical to preventing virus transmission." This year, the state government had allowed paddy sowing from June 1, advancing it from the previous year's June 10 window. PAU has released an insecticide advisory for managing WBPH, recommending targeted spraying of approved chemicals. Farmers are advised to apply these sprays at the plant base using flat-fan or hollow-cone nozzles and avoid indiscriminate use to prevent pest resistance and ecological damage. Experts also recommend weekly field inspections and simple detection methods, such as tapping the base of plants to spot WBPH, which float to the surface of standing water when disturbed. As the situation unfolds, agricultural authorities continue field surveillance and farmer outreach. However, growers remain wary, citing their experience in 2022 when significant crop losses went uncompensated, leaving them sceptical of state support.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Need for accelerating research, innovation in agriculture: UP CM Adityanath
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday highlighted agriculture as Uttar Pradesh's largest employment sector, supporting nearly three crore farmers. Adityanath was speaking at an event to mark the 36th Foundation Day of UPCAR (UP Council of Agricultural Research). He stressed that agriculture should drive prosperity, not migration, and called for greater adoption of innovation and research to transform the sector. He noted that the MSME sector follows agriculture in employment, engaging 1.65 crore people. He addressed a national seminar titled 'Developed Agriculture – Developed Uttar Pradesh @ 2047'. He also felicitated distinguished agricultural scientists, young innovators and Farmer Producer Organisations for their contributions to the sector. The CM reaffirmed the state's commitment to contribute to the nation's goal of becoming a $5-trillion economy by aiming to build a $1-trillion economy in Uttar Pradesh by 2029. He said, 'We have vast, fertile land and abundant water resources. UP might be the only region in the world where over 86 per cent of agricultural land is irrigated.' The state also has a strong network of agricultural institutions, including four state-run agricultural universities, with a fifth under development, as well as centrally run universities and over 15 premier agricultural research institutes, Adityanath pointed out. In addition, 89 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) are actively working to disseminate knowledge and technologies to farmers. Despite these resources, the CM acknowledged a concerning gap: 'Only 25–30 per cent of farmers in the state are currently able to adopt and implement scientific research in their farming practices'. He called for bridging this gap to ensure that the benefits of research and innovation truly reach the grassroots. The CM highlighted that while Uttar Pradesh is home to 16 per cent of the country's population, it holds only 11 per cent of India's cultivable land. Remarkably, this land produces over 20 per cent of the nation's food grains. He added, 'The state holds immense potential in agriculture, horticulture, and vegetable production. To unlock this, there is a pressing need to accelerate research tailored to local climatic zones and natural ecosystems.' The CM noted that the state has formulated a Vision 2047 action plan, and stressed the need for clear short- and medium-term milestones — by 2027, 2029, and 2035 — to ensure visible progress. The CM also called on agricultural universities, research bodies, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras to play an active role in achieving these goals. The CM recalled the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in collaboration with Israel, where the training and dedication of Indian scientists complemented Israeli technical expertise. He questioned the limited expansion of such models and called for renewed efforts. 'If Israel can achieve this, why can't our agricultural universities replicate and expand it?' he asked. He lamented that farmers are still being forced to migrate due to a lack of progress in agriculture and stressed the urgency of reversing this trend. Addressing climate change challenges, he noted that while heavy rains were expected during this season, 15-16 districts of UP have received below-average rainfall, while some neighbouring states are experiencing excessive rainfall. 'How prepared are we to deal with such fluctuations?' he asked. Adityanath also pointed out that a delay of just one month in sowing, coupled with the use of old seed varieties, could result in a 30 per cent reduction in yield. He asked whether farmers had access to late-sowing seed varieties and whether they were properly trained and guided. 'If Krishi Vigyan Kendras, agricultural universities, and research centers don't offer timely and credible demonstrations, farmers won't be convinced,' he said. 'If they are still relying on outdated methods, it is because we have failed to connect them with modern techniques and information.'
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Arunachal seeks ICAR support to boost agriculture & horticulture
1 2 Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh agriculture minister Gabriel D Wangsu on Monday sought robust institutional support from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to boost the state's agriculture, horticulture and allied sectors while addressing the 96th annual general meeting of the ICAR Society in New Delhi on Monday. Wangsu presented a detailed 10-point proposal, highlighting the state's unique agro-climatic potential and its significant contribution to India's kiwi production, an official statement said. The meeting was chaired by Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who also serves as president of the ICAR Society. Union ministers Bhagirath Choudhary and Rajiv Ranjan Singh also attended the event. Wangsu proposed the establishment of a Central Kiwi Research Institute in Arunachal Pradesh, citing the state's contribution of over 60% to India's total kiwi production. He also sought the creation of a Multidisciplinary Organic Agriculture University focused on region-specific research and organic certification. Other key demands included upgradation of the ICAR Research Station at Basar in Leparada district into a full-fledged directorate for mid-hill zone studies, sanctioning of 10 new Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) for newly created districts, and release of funds for 8 already-approved KVKs.
