Mandi Krishi Kendra wins ‘best award’

Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar (CSK) Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Palampur, has achieved a milestone as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has conferred the ICAR Zone-1 Best KVK Award for 2024-25 upon its constituent Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Mandi. The prestigious award recognises the KVK’s outstanding, innovative and impactful contributions to the field of agricultural extension.

The ICAR Zone-1 comprises 72 Krishi Vigyan Kendras in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The selection of the KVK-Mandi among this highly competitive group is a matter of pride for the Palampur farm university, Mandi district and the state as well. The award was presented during the Annual Zonal Workshop of KVKs of the ICAR Zone-1 held at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu, by its Vice-Chancellor BN Tripathi.

The KVK-Mandi has played a transformative role in the district through focused interventions on crop diversification, mushroom cultivation, seed production, agri-entrepreneurship development, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), promotion of natural and sustainable farming, value addition, capacity-building trainings, on-farm trials, front line demonstrations and drone-based demonstrations of agricultural technologies. Its initiatives to link women and young farmers with self-employment opportunities have contributed to enhanced farm incomes, reduced risks and sustainable agricultural growth.

The Vice-Chancellor of the Palampur farm varsity, Prof AK Panda, expressed happiness over the achievement, terming it as a proud moment for the university. He lauded the dedicated efforts of the KVK-Mandi scientists and staff and said that the award reflected the university’s strong commitment to farmer-centric research, extension and innovation. He also appreciated the leadership of the Director (Extension Education), Dr Vinod Sharma, for providing continuous guidance and support.

The university and the KVK-Mandi also acknowledged the encouragement and support of Director, ICAR-ATARI Zone-1, Dr Parvinder Sheron, and his team.

Dr Pankaj Sood, In-charge of the KVK-Mandi, said that the award was a collective outcome of the efforts of farmers, scientists, extension personnel, allied departments and media partners.