Role and impact of KVK for rural communities: A review

KVK is an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), established at the district level throughout the country, and is playing an important role in the "lab to land" transfer of technologies.The KVK aims to assess location-specific technology modules in agriculture and allied enterprises through technology assessment, refinement, and demonstrations.The KVK is a medium between farmers and researchers to develop suitable agricultural practices for different agro -climatic zones.KVKs act as the Knowledge and Resource Centre of agricultural technology of the district.After its inception in 1974, it has become more proactive, farmer-centered, efficient, actively involved in entrepreneurship and skill development through various programs, and provides required advisory services whenever needed through various means of ICT.It works at the grassroots level with a team of multi-disciplinary subject matter specialists to implement suitable location-specific technologies through innovations, refinement, and diffusion, which is the need of the hour for the socio-economic upliftment of the farmers.The KVK is involved in the assessment of productivity performance, adoption of technologies introduced, and its horizontal spread.There has been a positive impact of the KVK activities on the farming communities, which has led to improvements in skills, better productivity, and entrepreneurship development among youths and farm women.The review provides insight into the programs organized by the KVKs and their impact on rural communities.