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KVK Kannur Wins National Best KVK Award

 

The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kannur at Panniyur of the Kerala Agricultural University has won the National Best KVK Award -2009 from among the 589 KVKs in the country.  

 

The award was presented by Her Excellency Smt. Pratibha Patil, the President of India at a function presided over by Sri. Sharad Pawar, the Hon. Union minister for agriculture, consumer affairs, food and public distribution and attended by the Governor and the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.  The award was received by Dr. K. Abdul Kareem, Professor and Programme Coordinator of KVK, Kannur  and Dr. P.V. Balachandran, Director of Extension on 22^nd of December 2010 during the National Conference of KVKs at Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture, Udaipur, Rajasthan.  The award consists of a memento, certificate and Rs. 1 lakh.

 

  

As per the norms of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) a KVK should have completed 5 years before it becomes eligible for the consideration of award.  KVK, Kannur, which became functional in 2004 is the youngest ever KVK to bag the award. 

 

Ever since its inception in 2004, the Kendra   has been exerting a powerful influence on the other extension systems of the district playing a leadership role in the agricultural development process of the district.  It has made exceptional achievements in accordance  with the expectation of ICAR within a short span of five years with novel initiatives  and successful projects /models in farming sector widely acclaimed by diverse segments. The effective and friendly interventions of KVK to solve the scientifically analysed problems created impact not within the district, but often beyond even up to the national level.

 

The Paddy Task Force (PTF), the novel initiative of the Kendra to address the alarming decline in the area under paddy due to labour shortage, was the first ever mechanized labour force in Kerala, recommend for state-wide adoption. Compact Area Group Approach, popularly known by its acronym, CAGA, an innovative extension approach  for combating endemic problems like coconut mite and bud rot disease of coconut is included in the organic farming policy of the Government of Kerala.    The Kendra has also been able introduce and popularize several new technologies compatible to the district, like the rope culture of green shell mussel farming an ideal income/employment generating livelihood option for the resource poor capitalizing the hitherto unexploited 11  river estuaries of the coastal district, new varieties of black pepper, ginger, cashew, tapioca and vegetable that are not only high yielding but pest and disease problem solving.

 

The Kendra needs no better example for its success in vocational training/entrepreneurship development than the first ever cashew apple (otherwise wasted now gets priced) processing unit in the state under the brand name, TOMCO.   The reputation the KVK has earned for its exceptional achievements in EDP through branding is far and wide. So also in ICT- the soft ware for touch screen information kiosk, 18 titles of video CDs on felt needs of farming community, Group Mobile SMS,  KVK website  are only few.

 

Apart from CAGA the Kendra has pioneered several innovations in extension, namely, Farmers’ Science Congress and Creative Extension, a new branch of agricultural extension, which uses art forms and ICT for communication of innovations. ‘SBI-KVK Loan Window’ and “KVK Mall” to promote entrepreneurship, Farmers’ Science Museum and Federation of NABARD – KVK Farmers’ Clubs  are other exceptional innovations of KVK.

 

So also, the Sub-surface Dyke built by the Kendra to alleviate water scarcity has now become the largest rainwater harvesting system in the region and a model demonstration unit.

 

The production units that caters to the critical technological input needs of the district has zoomed the revolving fund to exceed Rs. 10 lakhs within a short span of 5 years and all set to touch Rs. 16 lakhs by the end of this year.

 

The initiatives of KVK for convergence among the players of public extension systems  for the swift spread of technologies  is a model for other districts

 

The involvement of KVK faculty in the agricultural development process of the district is appreciated in many fora. The extension activities and services rendered by the KVK are unique and very effective in accelerating technology transfer and adoption among the farming community.