Centre to help 6.33 lakh farmers hone agri skills by 2022

The Centre has chalked out a strategy to impart farm-related knowledge and develop agri skill sets among 6.33 lakh farmers by 2022 and about Rs 3.5 crore fund has been set aside for 2016-17.

Developing farmers skill sets is part of the government's national skill development policy launched in 2015. The Agriculture and Skill Development Ministries will together provide farmers skill development training from this month onwards.

"Our aim is to double farmers income. To achieve this, farmers need to diversify their farm activities. We have decided to provide required skills to them to take up allied activities like fishery, beekeeping, vermi-compost and others," Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said.

The Agriculture Ministry has made a budget provision of Rs 3.52 crore for the 2016-17 fiscal providing skill sets through 100 Krishi Vikas Kendras and eight training institutes, the minister said after inaugurating a national workshop in this regard here.

The government has identified the skill gap in 6.33 lakh farmers and aims to train these by 2022, said a senior Ministry official.

The representatives of KVKs, officials from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) as well as trained youth entrepreneurs were present at the day-long workshop.