About KVK

The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Farm Science Centre) sanctioned on 31st March, 2012 is one of the grass root level technology transfer institute at Pokaran, and is established by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi in collaboration with Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner to accomplish the work of transfer of technology in the fields of agriculture and allied for the farming community and improving their livelihoods. The organization acts as a bridge between the research organization and farmers that works for solving the location specific problems of farming community in agriculture and allied fields in the domain area i.e. Pokaran and Fatehgadh tehsils of Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan.

Current Location

The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) is situated about 5 km away from Pokaran town on National Highway 11 between Pokaran and Ramdevra in village - Gomat, Tehsil - Pokaran, District - Jaisalmer of the Rajasthan state (India). The approximate distance from Ramdevra - 7 km, Jaisalmer - 111 km, Jodhpur - 177 km via roads. Whereas about 1.5 km from Ashapura Gomat (AQG) Railway Station.

About Pokaran

Pokaran is the city and a municipality located in the remote location in the Thar Desert region and is the well-known place of India's Atomic Testing Centre. The Pokaran fort also known as “Balagarh” is the premier fort of the chief of the Champawats, the clan of Rathores of the state of Marwar-Jodhpur. In the outskirts of the city, the Shakti Mata Memorial Chatriya, a royal cenotaph, is freely accessible. The holy place “Ramdev Ji Temple” is 7 km away from the KVK headquarter.

Mandates

As per the guidelines of ICAR, the important mandates of KVK are; Technology Assessment and Demonstration for its Application and Capacity Development.

To collaborate with the Subject Matter Specialists of the State Agricultural University/ Scientists of the Regional Station, NARP and the state education personnel in "On Farm Testing" for assessing and documenting the technologies for developing region specific sustainable land use system.

To organize trainings to update the extension personnel within the area of operation with emerging advances in agricultural research on regular basis.

To organize short term and long term vocational courses in agriculture and allied vocations for the rural youth with the emphasis on "Learning by Doing" for generating self employment through institutional financing.

To organize Front Line Demonstrations/TDHPP in various crops to generate production data and feedback information.

Activities

To implement the mandate, the activities envisaged are followings;

1. On-farm testing to assess the location specificity of agricultural technologies under various farming systems.
2. Frontline demonstrations to establish production potential of technologies on the farmers’ fields.
3. Capacity development of farmers and extension personnel to update their knowledge and skills on modern agricultural technologies.
4. To work as Knowledge and Resource Centre of agricultural technologies for supporting initiatives of public, private and voluntary sector in improving the agricultural economy of the district.
5. Provide farm advisories using ICT and other media means on varied subjects of interest to farmers.

In addition, KVKs produce quality technological products (seed, planting material, bio-agents, livestock etc.) and make it available to farmers, organize frontline extension activities, identify and document selected farm innovations and converge with ongoing schemes and programs within the mandate of KVK.

Thrust Areas

To accomplish the mandates, KVK has identified major thrust areas as follows.

Improvement of crop productivity through.
a) Improving soil fertility by promoting use of organic manures such as compost and vermicompost.
b) Introduction of improved varieties, INM practices and other cultural practices in respect of rainfed crops viz. pearl millet, green gram, moth bean, cluster bean, sesame, groundnut, wheat, chickpea, mustard, taramira and cumin.
c) Minimizing load of agrochemicals by popularizing IPM practices in the field crops.

Diversification of existing cropping systems by promoting cultivation of fodder crops as well as introduction of new crops suitable for dryland areas.

Emphasis on adoption of components of integrated farming system viz. vegetables and fruit plants, forest trees such as citrus, pomegranate, aonla and khejri etc.

Promotion of dryland farming technologies with emphasis on water harvesting.

Popularize Azolla cultivation (at farmers’ fields) for supplementary feeding of livestock.

Improving the indigenous breed of goat by breeding and management.

Empowerment of women through drudgery reduction in agriculture and animal husbandry, improvement in the nutrition, health & hygiene by using improved agricultural implements.

Imparting need based vocational training to rural youths for self-employment generation.