New Delhi, Sep 30 : As part of India's agricultural strategy to take skill enhancement directly to farmers, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) are playing a central role in bridging the gap between research and practice through hands-on training, demonstrations, and vocational courses tailored to local agro-climatic conditions. Between 2021 and 2024, KVKs have trained 58.02 lakh farmers, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on Tuesday.

The number of farmers being trained through the KVK outreach has been steadily rising each year from 16.91 lakh farmers in 2021'22 to 21.56 lakh in 2023'24. In 2024'25 alone, up to February 2025, an additional 18.56 lakh farmers had also been trained.

These figures reflect the consistency and scale of the KVK network in empowering farmers with practical skills in crop management, soil health, animal husbandry, and allied activities. By grounding training in local realities while introducing scientific methods, KVKs have become one of the most effective platforms for farmer capacity building, ensuring that scientific knowledge translates into field-level improvements and long-term resilience.

Institutions such as KVKs and schemes like Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY), Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), and the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) have also built strong training platforms, while sector-specific interventions in horticulture, livestock, soil management, and food processing are integrating skilling into their frameworks.

Collectively, these efforts underline a clear vision: Empowering farmers through skill enhancement is vital to boosting productivity, raising incomes, and building a resilient agricultural sector.

ATMA has supported states in revitalising their extension systems reaching around 1.27 Crore farmers from 2021 to 2025. The scheme promotes decentralised farmer-friendly extension system in the country with an objective to support state Governments' efforts to making available the latest technologies and good practices in agriculture.

The Soil Health Card Scheme has played a vital role in helping farmers make informed choices on crop planning and fertiliser application. As of July 24 this year, more than 25.17 crore soil health cards have been distributed across the country, alongside the organisation of over 93,000 farmer trainings, 6.8 lakh demonstrations, and thousands of awareness campaigns. These initiatives have promoted balanced nutrient management practices among farmers, leading to improved soil health and sustainable enhancement of agricultural productivity.

The government has also embedded skill development within flagship national schemes. The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) has incorporated agriculture as a priority sector, it integrates agriculture and allied sectors within India's flagship skilling framework. Under the PMKVY scheme, since its inception in 2015 till June 30, 2025, more than 1.64 Crore have been trained and more than 1.29 Crore have been certified.

Special attention has also been given to preparing the younger generation of farmers for emerging opportunities in agriculture. The STRY programme has been designed to impart short-term, skill-based training of about seven days to rural youth and farmers in agriculture and allied sectors.

/IANS