Agri Minister Urges KVKs to Boost Farming Practices

New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday directed 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to strengthen their role in advancing farming practices.

During a virtual dialogue with agricultural centres across India, Chouhan said KVKs, which serve as farm science centres, "can bring revolutionary changes in agriculture" and called for collaboration with state governments to run farmer awareness campaigns before the upcoming Kharif sowing season.

The minister emphasised a six-point agricultural strategy focusing on increasing production, reducing costs, ensuring fair crop prices, providing compensation for losses, diversifying farming practices, and promoting natural farming, an official statement said.

"About 45 per cent of the population is directly connected with agriculture and approximately 18 per cent of our GDP comes from this sector," Chouhan said, highlighting the need for continuous efforts to strengthen the sector.

Representatives from Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes and KVK heads from various regions presented their achievements and plans during the meeting.

Chouhan also proposed launching a comprehensive public awareness campaign for farmers ahead of the Kharif sowing season on June 15, 2025, emphasising water conservation aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'More Crop Per Drop'.

The minister said a system to reward high-performing KVKs would be considered starting next year.