Voice KVK Workshop and Annual Day of ZPD-IV Celebrated  

 ZPD-IV, Kanpur organized Annual Day Function during 18-19 March, 2013 where status of technological backstopping and monitoring of KVKs was reviewed. In inaugural address, Dr. P.K. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, CSAUAT, Kanpur gave more attention on effective monitoring of KVKs. He said specific recommendation is required for particular district and area. Adoption of tested and demonstrated technologies should be given more thrust to make visible impact on farming community. Technical feedback, knowledge and skill upgradation of KVK experts and service providers to the farmers should be focused at KVK level. In the function, Dr. A.K. Singh, Zonal Project Director presented a brief account of achievements of the Directorate and emphasized to follow the KVK guidelines strictly and making KVK as vibrant. Farmer FIRST, e-Farmer, e-Linkage KVK, developing specialized KVKs, integrated farming system, technology information cafeteria and using multi commodity exchange information for obtaining latest market rates, etc. were emphasized. He said that host organizations should realize the ownership responsibility of KVKs. Dr. Daulat Singh, Former Director Extension, CSAUAT suggested that KVK should make good liason and convergence with line departments and other organizations for effective delivery of technologies. Dr. Masood Ali, Former Director, IIPR, Kanpur expressed that farmers may be benefitted by the KVK if the kendra is acting as knowledge and resource centre. Visible impact of KVK should be studied. Perception of KVK experts should also be changed towards extension service. Dr. N. Nadarajan, Director, IIPR, Kanpur stated that role of KVK is more important. One of the successful example about harnessing pulses productivity programme was realized in collaboration with different stakeholders with visible impact on enhancing pulses productivity. Dr. Atar Singh and Dr. Lakhan Singh from ZPD-IV suggested strengthening of monitoring system of the KVKs.

 Training cum workshop on “Voice KVK” of 30 KVKs of CSAUAT area jurisdiction in collaboration with IIT Kanpur was organized. Dr A.K. Singh, Zonal Project Director, Zone-IV pointed out that large number of farmers and larger area can be covered by utilizing voice messages through mobile service. Periodic and alert voice messages are being communicated to the farmers from KVK experts. Problems related to agriculture, livestock, horticulture, post harvest and value addition and weather advisory services were covered under messages. The problems and hindrances come across during sending voice messages by the experts to the farmers were discussed and solved with practical exposure. All the 81 KVKs of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been covered under Voice KVK programme. A series of training cum workshops (4) were organized to orient the KVK experts and other officials. In this workshop, Shrawan Shukla, Vinod Kumar, Virendra Singh from IIT-K made presentation on vKVK and Ajit Srivastava, Vikram Dhirendra Singh, Jitendra Kumar & Shailendra Singh shared their on promotion of voice KVK system.  

 Source: Lakhan Singh, Zonal Project Directorate, Kanpur