Lok Sabha Question No. 340 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-12
Subject: Skill Development among Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Dileshwar Kamait

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK   SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 340

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12 TH  AUGUST, 2025

## SKILL DEVELOPMENT AMONG FARMERS

* 340 SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  the  schemes  being  implemented  by  the  Government  to  promote  skill development among farmers in agriculture and allied sectors particularly in Bihar;
- (b)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  provide  skill  training  to  farmers  engaged  in allied sectors like horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries and bee-keeping in Bihar;
- (c)  the  number  of  training  programmes  organised  for  these  sectors  and  the  number  of farmers trained thereunder during the last two years in Bihar;
- (d) the extent to which these initiatives have helped in increasing agricultural productivity and the income of farmers;
- (e)  whether  there  is  any  plan  to  incorporate  modern  technology  and  innovations  in  the said training programmes and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 340 FOR 12 TH  AUGUST, 2025 REGARDING SKILL DEVELOPMENT AMONG FARMERS:

(a) & (b): The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing the following schemes  and  programmes  aimed  to  promote  skill  development  among  farmers  in agriculture and allied sectors across the country including Bihar.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing Centrally Sponsored programme 'Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms' popularly  known  as  Agriculture  Technology  Management  Agency  (ATMA)  across  the country.  The  scheme  promotes  decentralized  farmer-friendly  Extension  system  in  the country with an objective to support State Government's efforts to revitalize the extension system  and  making  available  the  latest  agricultural  technologies  and  good  agricultural practices  in  different  thematic  areas  of  agriculture  and  allied  areas  to  farmers,  farm women and youth, through various interventions like Farmers Training, Demonstrations, Exposure Visits,  Kisan Melas  etc.   Presently,  the scheme  is  being  implemented  in  740 districts of 28 States (including all 38 districts of Bihar) & 5 Union Territories (UTs) in the country.

The  Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  is  running  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendra (KVK)  under  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  in  different  States  of  the Country,  to  serve  as  single  window  agricultural  knowledge,  resource  and  capacity development centres with mandate of technology assessment and demonstration for its use and capacity building. As part of its activities, the KVKs are imparting training to the farmers, farmwomen and rural youths on different aspects of agriculture and allied sectors (Crop Production, Horticulture, Soil Health and Fertility Management, Livestock Production and Management, Home Science/Women empowerment, Agricultural Engineering, Plant Protection, Fisheries, Production of Inputs at site, Agro forestry etc.) for their capacity building.

The  Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  is  implementing  Skill  Training  of Rural Youth (STRY) with the objective to impart short term skill training (7 days duration) to  rural  youths  and  farmers  in  agriculture  and  allied  sectors  for  upgradation  of  their knowledge and skills and promote wage/self employment in rural areas. The component aims  at  providing  short  duration  skill  based  training  programs  to  rural  youth  including women farmers on agri-based vocational areas for creating a pool of skilled manpower.

The  Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  is  implementing  'Sub  Mission  on Agricultural  Mechanization'  (SMAM)  through  Four  Farm  Machinery  Training  &  Testing Institutes  (FMTTIs)  located  at  Budni  (Madhya  Pradesh),  Hissar  (Haryana),  Geraldine (Andhra  Pradesh),  and  Biswanath  Chariali  (Assam),  in  the  country  for  imparting  skill development  training  courses  to  different categories of beneficiaries like farmers, technicians, under graduate engineers, entrepreneurs on selection, operation, repair and maintenance,  energy  conservation  and  management  of  agricultural  equipments.  The Ministry has approved Central Sector Scheme 'Namo Drone Didi' for providing drones to the women Self Help Groups (SHGs) which aims to provide training to selected women and  provide  drones  to  women  SHGs  for  providing  on  rental  services  to  farmers  for agriculture purpose (application of fertilizers and pesticides).

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India,  has  launched  National  Skill  Development  Mission,  under  which  the  DA&FW  has been operationalizing skill training courses of minimum 200 hours duration for rural youth and  farmers  as  per  the  approved  Qualification  Packs  developed  by  Agriculture  Skill Council  of  India  (ASCI)  in  the  areas  of  agriculture  and  allied  sectors.  The  key  skill programmes are conducted under the programme Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). The scheme covers multiple sectors, including agriculture and allied activities, to ensure comprehensive skill enhancement aligned with local economic needs.

Bihar State Government is implementing Bihar Skill Development Mission (BSDM) though State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) known as Bihar Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (BAMETI), to promote skill development among farmers in agriculture and allied sectors. BAMETI is organizing skill  training  programs  for  farmers  engaged  in  allied  sectors  such  as  horticulture  and beekeeping  through Skill Training Centres  established at Agricultural Universities, Agricultural Colleges, Research Centres, Research Institutes, KVKs, and ATMA, following the guidelines of National Skill development Council (NSDC) and BSDM. Exposure visits, on-farm demonstrations and hands-on training is provided to the farmers. Under ATMA program skill training is imparted to farmers in agriculture and allied sectors.

## (c): The number of training programmes organised and the number of farmers trained during the last two years are detailed below:

| Sl. No.   | Sector           | Number of Training programmes Organised during last two years (2023-24 and 2024-25)   | Number of Training programmes Organised during last two years (2023-24 and 2024-25)   | Number of Training programmes Organised during last two years (2023-24 and 2024-25)   | Number of Training programmes Organised during last two years (2023-24 and 2024-25)   | Number of Farmers Trained   | Number of Farmers Trained   | Number of Farmers Trained   | Number of Farmers Trained   |
|-----------|------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|           |                  | KVK                                                                                   | ASCI                                                                                  | BAMETI                                                                                | ATMA (Bihar)                                                                          | KVK                         | ASCI                        | BAMETI                      | ATMA (Bihar)                |
| 1         | Horticulture     | 1,279                                                                                 | 89                                                                                    | 45                                                                                    | 266                                                                                   | 37,057                      | 2,679                       | 1,347                       | 11939                       |
| 2         | Animal Husbandry | 867                                                                                   | 32                                                                                    | Nil                                                                                   | 125                                                                                   | 27,454                      | 447                         | Nil                         | 7188                        |
| 3         | Beekeeping       | 115                                                                                   | 66                                                                                    | 72                                                                                    | 69                                                                                    | 3,241                       | 1,980                       | 2,156                       | 7665                        |
| 4         | Fisheries        | 315                                                                                   | 16                                                                                    | Nil                                                                                   | 13                                                                                    | 7,849                       | 955                         | Nil                         | 733                         |
| Total     |                  | 2576                                                                                  | 203                                                                                   | 117                                                                                   | 473                                                                                   | 75,601                      | 6,061                       | 3,503                       | 27525                       |

(d):  These  initiatives  have  helped  farmers  in  diversifying  their  income  sources  and creating the opportunity for Agri-entrepreneurship to enhance their livelihoods, improved adoption  of  modern  agricultural  techniques  and  also  enhanced  the  production  and productivity in agricultural as well as allied sectors.

(e): Modern technologies like drone technology, protected cultivation, micro irrigation, soil  &  water  testing,  farm  machinery  maintenance  and  post-harvest  management techniques are included in the training modules to enhance the skill among the farmers. Digital  platforms  and  mobile  apps are  being  used  for  e-learning  and  advisory  services. Training  programmes  on  organic  and  sustainable  farming  practices  to  improve  market valued products are also provided to the beneficiaries.

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