Union Agri-Minister to inaugurate National KVK Conference at Solan

Nauni, May 27, 2022: Over 1000 participants will take part in the 12th Biennial Krishi Vigyan Kendra(KVK) Conference which will be held on June 1-2, 2022 at Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry(UHF), Nauni, Solan in Himachal Pradesh. Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar will inaugurate the conference. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Jai Ram Thakur will be the Special Guest on the occasion while Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat will preside over the function. Union Minister for State for Agriculture Shri Kailash Choudhary will be the Guest of Honour on the occasion.

The valedictory session of the conference will be attended by Governor of Himachal Pradesh Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Parshottam Rupala. Union Minister for State for Agriculture Mrs. Shobha Karandlaje will also attend the conference on June 2.

Director-General of Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Dr. AK Singh, Deputy Director General (Agriculture Extension) and UHF Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel informed during a press conference at the university on Friday that over 1000 scientists and policymakers from all over the country will take part in the national conference. Dr. Mohapatra and Dr. Singh virtually addressed the press conference from Delhi. Dr. Rajbir Singh, Director ATARI Zone-I and all the statutory officers were present on the occasion.

Addressing the conference, Dr. Mohapatra said that the theme of this year's biennial event is ‘Sustainable Agricultural Production System’. Discussions on topics like Natural farming for sustainable production, precision agriculture, diversification and intensification, Krishi drones, and ICT application in agriculture will also be held at the conference. He said emphasis will also be laid on how to attract youth towards agriculture occupation and deliberations will be held on the important mainstays for sustainable agriculture.

The conference will see the participation of Incharges of all KVK situated in the country. Besides Directors of Extension Education and Directors of Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARI), Vice-Chancellors of several Agriculture Universities, Director-General and all the Deputy Director-Generals of ICAR, members from NITI Aayog and various departments and institutions will also take part in the conference.

The main topic of the conference will be ‘Natural Farming’, which is apt in the current scenario as the inclination of farmers toward this agricultural method is expected to increase in the coming time. This practice will not only help to produce healthy food items but will also help to conserve the environment and lead to an increase in farm incomes. Farmers engaged in natural farming in different parts of the country have been invited to the conference to share their experiences with the participants.

Professor Chandel told that Himachal Pradesh Government’s ‘Prakritik Krishi Khushaal Kisan Yojana’ has generated a tremendous response from farmers which can be gauged from the fact that over 1.70 lakh farmers have joined this movement and are actively involved in this farming and playing their roles in the conservation of soil and water, environment and human health by producing healthy food items. The agri-horti universities of the state are also conducting research trials on natural farming. Professor Chandel thanked ICAR for allowing the university to host such a mega event to showcase the work done in natural farming to the country.

The first KVK in the country was established by ICAR in 1974 at Puducherry, formerly known as Pondicherry. Today there are 731 KVKs located in different districts of the country. Initially, these KVKs were established as Training Centres but today they have evolved into institutions that showcase the latest agriculture technology, provide training and advisory, conduct extension activities and have become a knowledge center for the people.

The conference will be live telecasted on various social media platforms like Facebook and Youtube along with Radio so that a large number of people can benefit from it. All the participants will also get a chance to get first-hand field experience during the visit to the fields of farmers practicing natural farming in and around Solan. The KVK representatives will also help to popularize this farming technique among the farmers in their area.