India Ends 2024 with 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)
28 January 2025, New Delhi: As of the end of 2024, India maintains a network of 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), serving as agricultural extension centers aimed at applying agricultural research in practical, localized settings.
The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in India operate under various administrative bodies, ensuring widespread outreach and effective management. These KVKs are managed by State Governments, with 38 centers under their administration. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes oversee 66 KVKs, while non-governmental organizations (NGOs) manage 103 centers. Agricultural universities play a significant role, administering 506 KVKs, and 3 are run by central universities. Public sector undertakings (PSUs) are responsible for 3 KVKs, while 7 centers are under deemed universities, and 5 are managed by other educational institutions. This diverse structure helps to expand the reach of agricultural innovations and technology to farmers across India.
The state-wise distribution of KVKs is as follows:
State/Union Territory | Number of KVKs |
Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 3 |
Andhra Pradesh | 24 |
Arunachal Pradesh | 17 |
Assam | 26 |
Bihar | 44 |
Chhattisgarh | 28 |
Delhi | 1 |
Goa | 2 |
Gujarat | 30 |
Haryana | 18 |
Himachal Pradesh | 13 |
Jammu & Kashmir | 20 |
Jharkhand | 24 |
Karnataka | 33 |
Kerala | 14 |
Ladakh | 4 |
Lakshadweep | 1 |
Madhya Pradesh | 54 |
Maharashtra | 50 |
Manipur | 9 |
Meghalaya | 7 |
Mizoram | 8 |
Nagaland | 11 |
Odisha | 33 |
Puducherry | 3 |
Punjab | 22 |
Rajasthan | 47 |
Sikkim | 4 |
Tamil Nadu | 32 |
Telangana | 16 |
Tripura | 8 |
Uttar Pradesh | 89 |
Uttarakhand | 13 |
West Bengal | 23 |
Total | 731 |
In the past three years, KVKs have conducted approximately 132,000 assessment trials and 869,000 demonstrations on various technologies related to crops, livestock, fisheries, farm machinery, and other enterprises. These efforts aim to evaluate and promote the adoption of new agricultural technologies among farmers.
The government continues to invest in upgrading the infrastructure of KVKs to enhance their services to farmers. In the last year, a budget provision of ₹7,730.76 lakh was allocated for infrastructure improvements, including administrative buildings, farmers’ hostels, demonstration units, and farm development works.
Regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are in place to ensure KVKs function effectively as institutions for technology transfer at the district level. Recent evaluations have highlighted KVKs’ contributions, including generating additional net farm income, achieving a high rate of return on expenditure, and increasing outreach to farmers.
Overall, KVKs play a crucial role in bridging the gap between agricultural research and practical application, thereby contributing significantly to the advancement of India’s agricultural sector.
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