The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) possesses 110 acres of land that is fully under cultivation of crops relevant to the area. The main purpose of the farm is to demonstrate the latest agricultural practices. It also acts as a tool to do applied research on agricultural technologies & undertake trials before their transfer to farmers. Farm have the mother plants of horticulture crops such as Mango, Sapota, Guava, Anola, custard apple, pomegranate etc. Agronomical crops like soybean, onion, cotton, rice, sugarcane and wheat etc are grown. In the year 2012, KVK has established Automation & Fertigation unit through which Water & fertilizers are provided to all crops on farm.
Entrepreneurship Development training programme Agri Clinics Agri Business was started in KVK in 2006 in collaboration with MANAGE, Hyderabad. The agricultural and allied graduates and Agri Diploma holders are eligible for this two months residential training. The students are charged only Rs.500 as fees of training including food and accommodation for two months. The objective of this training is to motivate and train the students for starting business related to agriculture and develop themselves as entrepreneur & also extension of new technologies and information to the farmers. After the training, students have to submit project report up to 20 lakhs to the respective banks for availing loan and they will get 36% subsidy from NABARD. So far KVK has organized 40 batches of training programm. in which 1296 students are trained out of which more than 600 students started their own business.
In 2017, KVK started Diploma in Agricultural Extension Services for Input Dealers (DAESI) training programme. Main objective of this training programme is to transform practicing input dealers into para-extension professionals thereby strengthening the agricultural extension system so as to enable these input dealers to serve the farmers better. Till date 4 batches of total 160 input dealers have been trained by this training programme at KVK Baramati.
Innovative Extension Activities
• KVK Baramati has also provides Mobile SMS system through which mobile sms on weather forecasts, current market rates for agricultural commodities and future trading rates, agro advisory, farmers trip, trainings send to farmers
• This KVK is one of the few KVKs in the country to run Community radio station. Sharada Krishi Vahini 90.8 Mhz.
• KVK conducts variety of extension activities such as, technology week, kisan mela, study trips, field days, radio talks, publications, etc.
• KVK Baramati is also connected with farmers through Social media, YouTube channel, WhatsApp group.
• Through KRUSHIK Mobile App KVK has reached to all districts of Maharashtra state.
• These activities help KVK to reach large masses of farmers with information on advances in agriculture.
Training -
• On an average this KVK conducts 100 to 120 need- based training programs in a year for farmers, farm women, rural youth and extension personell. 40-50% of them are long duration trainings.
• The KVK has purchased more than 200 educational audio visual aids to make the training activities more effective.
• More emphasis is given on long duration practical, self employment oriented trainings for school dropouts & unemployed rural youth.
• Many participants on completion of the training have been successfully self employed by way of establishing their own poultry, goatery, nursery, dairy & sericulture units.
• Efforts are made to empower the women technically, as they play very vital role in agricultural operations. Farmer's groups may approach the KVK for customized trainings.
