State Level Annual Virtual Action Plan Workshop of 51 KVKs of Maharashtra and Goa organized
9 - 10 February, 2021, Pune
The ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Aurangabad - I, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Maharashtra jointly organized the “State Level Virtual Annual Action Plan Workshop of 51 KVKs of Maharashtra and Goa” from 9th to 10th February, 2021.
In his inaugural address, Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR urged to build the KVK as a model campus for enabling the people to learn many things without narrating anything. He stressed that the KVK should be futuristic in its Action Plan. Identifying the commodities for market access and areas of working and cluster of KVKs for water scarcity areas, intensified seed production, quality nursery and protected cultivation were some of the main points of the DDG’s address. Dr. Singh emphasized on focusing on Groundwater recharge activities. The DDG stated that the KVK should have connections with the FPOs, Banks, Agricultural Universities, ICAR Institutes and other agencies.
Dr. V.P. Chahal, ADG (Agricultural Extension), ICAR urged on increasing the productivity of oilseed and pulses through cluster frontline demonstrations.
Dr. Randhir Singh, ADG (Agricultural Extension), ICAR emphasized on cluster based FPOs, value-chain management, entrepreneurship development, one district-one commodity concept.
Dr. Ashok Dhawan, Vice-Chancellor, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Maharashtra stressed on beautification of the KVK campus for satisfying the visiting farmers and providing them with useful technologies. He urged the KVKs to start input production units like seeds, biofertilizers, quality bio-pesticides, seedlings, trichocard, etc.
Dr. V.M. Bhale, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra regarded the KVK as the only media for transferring the technology to the farmers. He stated that the KVK is a hub for farm technologies. He emphasized on the usefulness of Custom Hiring Service for costly farm implements / machineries.
Dr. S.D. Sawant, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Maharashtra outlined the initiative of KVK, Ratnagiri for starting an Innovative Unit of Fresh Cashew Nut Processing to provide good quality cashew nuts.
Earlier, in his address, Dr. Lakhan Singh, Director, ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra urged the KVKs to address burning issues like PBW in cotton, FAW in maize, white grub in sugarcane, dieback and gummosis in sweet orange, etc. He emphasized that the farmers can use the border of the farms for cultivating drumstick, custard apple, jamun, tamarind, karonda for attaining additional income.
The senior officials of ICAR Institutes and State Agricultural Universities also provided their valuable inputs for improving the Action Plans of KVKs.
A total of 120 participants including 51 Heads of KVKs (49 Maharashtra and 2 Goa) virtually participated and presented their Annual Action Plan for the Year - 2021.
(Source: ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra)
