KVK system under Indian Council of Agricultural Research has the largest scientific manpower. KVK scientists need to be equipped with the latest technologies developed by National Agricultural Research System. Considering this, Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone XI, organized Human Resource Development Programmes to develop the capacity of KVK scientists.

Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone XI, has organized a HRD Week for the Subject Matter Specialists of KVKs in the Zone, during 5-9 th February 2018. This is to empower KVK scientists of the zone to test and demonstrate latest technologies in farmer’s fields during 2018-19. The programme was organized with the support of various ICAR institutes viz., The orientation programme on latest technologies for plant protection SMSs at ICARNBAIR on 05.02.2018, Soil science/agronomy SMSs at ICAR-NBSS&LUP on 06.02.2018, Animal science/ veterinary/fishery SMSs at ICAR-NIANP on 06.02.2018, Horticulture SMSs at ICAR-IIHR and Home Science SMSs at KVK, Hirehalli, Tumkur on 09.02.2018. A total of 130 trainees from KVKs participated in the training programme during HRD week. The programme provided latest information about soil fertility management, management of degraded soils, land resource inventory, invasive pest management, pheromone technology, fruit crop technologies for higher productivity, new varieties and technologies for year round production of vegetables through open and protected cultivation, value added products and mechanization in horticultural crops, innovative plant protection technologies in horticultural crops, identifying potential technologies for demonstration, breeds in freshwater aquaculture, livestock feed technologies for field application, livestock production and management, technologies related to fodder cultivation and conservation, and important animal diseases and their management.

Orientation programme for the newly recruited staff of KVKs under UAS Dharwad and NGO Belagavi was organized at KVK Gadag during 10-12th August 2017. In this programme, 31 scientists of 7 KVKs viz., Dharwad, Vijayapura I & II, Bagalkot, Haveri, Uttara Kannada and Belagavi I participated. Another programme for the scientists of KVKs under UAS Raichur, UHS Bagalkot, KVAFSU Bidar, NGOs of Karnataka and Kerala was organized at KVK Mysuru during 17-19th August 2017. In this programme, 20 scientists of 10 KVKs viz., Ballari, Belagavi II, Dakshina Kannada, Kalaburagi I & II, Kolar, Koppal, Mysuru, Raichur and Thiruvananthapuram participated. The officials of ATARI, resource persons from other KVKs were invited to orient the newly recruited scientists of KVKs. Participatory Rural Appraisal, organizing mandated activities, communication strategies, administrative and financial matters were covered during the orientation programme.

Orientation programme for the newly recruited staff of KVKs under UAS Dharwad and NGO Belagavi was organized at KVK Gadag during 10-12th August 2017. In this programme, 31 scientists of 7 KVKs viz., Dharwad, Vijayapura I & II, Bagalkot, Haveri, Uttara Kannada and Belagavi I participated. Another programme for the scientists of KVKs under UAS Raichur, UHS Bagalkot, KVAFSU Bidar, NGOs of Karnataka and Kerala was organized at KVK Mysuru during 17-19th August 2017. In this programme, 20 scientists of 10 KVKs viz., Ballari, Belagavi II, Dakshina Kannada, Kalaburagi I & II, Kolar, Koppal, Mysuru, Raichur and Thiruvananthapuram participated. The officials of ATARI, resource persons from other KVKs were invited to orient the newly recruited scientists of KVKs. Participatory Rural Appraisal, organizing mandated activities, communication strategies, administrative and financial matters were covered during the orientation programme.

Refresher course for the Programme Assistants (Computer) of KVKs from Sothern Karnataka was organized at KVK Mysuru during 10-12th October 2017. In this programme, computer personnel of 15 KVKs (Chamarajanagara, Chikkaballapura, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere, Hassan, Kolar, Mandya, Mysuru, Ramanagara, Shivamogga, Tumakuru I & II and Udupi) participated. The Heads of these KVKs also participated on the second day of the programme to sort out the issues in the database management.

The training for KVK staff on The Public Financial Management System (PFMS) were conducted in 7 institutes. The primary objective was to establish an efficient fund flow system and expenditure network. Training programme covered topics on EAT module, mapping of agencies, bank module, creation of vendor, maker and checker, customization of vendors using excel file for salary and release of funds.

The training for KVK subject matter specialist to orient on Sujala-3 project was conducted on 11-12th January 2018 at NBSS & LUP, Hebbal Campus, Bengaluru. A total of 16 Subject Matter Specialists from 8 different KVK’s and 9 resource persons were attended. The resource persons oriented the KVK Subject Matter Specialists on how to educate the farmers and village based organization representatives of Sujala-3 project villages on utilization of scientific data for watershed management and crop production. The detailed presentations on different topics like introduction of Sujala-3 and its implementation, watershed development, land resource inventory, hydrological assessment, software application on digital library, preparation of action plans and scientific data generation were delivered by resource persons.

Management Development Programme (Phase III) for Newly Recruited Programme Coordinators of KVKs was organized by ICAR-ATARI, Bengaluru during 4 - 8 January 2019. Eight newly recruited Programme Coordinators of KVKs from Zone XI have participated in the programme. The participants were oriented about the base line survey and diagnosis of field problems, prioritization of thrust areas, identifying training needs of farmers and extension personnel, preparation of annual action plan, documenting case studies, writing articles, documenting impact of KVK activities, writing of field extension and adaptive research project proposals, and administrative and accounts procedures related to KVKs. The participants opined that the programme was useful to them for managing the KVK activities.

Training Programmes on Public Financial Management System (PFMS) for the of KVK and Agricultural University staffs were organised incollabaration with Keral Agriculture University, UAS Raichur, UAS Dharawad and UAHS Shivamogga. A total of 4 PFMS training programmes were organized in which 158 KVK and University staffs were participated (Table 1). The primary objective was to establish an efficient fund flow system and expenditure network. Training programme covered topics on EAT module, mapping of agencies, bank module, creation of vendor, maker and checker, customization of vendors using excel file for salary and release of funds

Orientation Training Programme for Newly Recruited Scientists of KVKs under ICAR-ATARI, Zone XI was organized at KVK Mysuru during 16-20 September 2019. In this programme, 33 Subject Matter Specialists from Karnataka and Kerala have participated. Similarly, another Orientation Training Programme for Newly Recruited Scientists of KVKs under ICAR-ATARI, Zone XI was organized at KVK Kasaragod during 23-27 September 2019. In this programme, 30 Subject Matter Specialists from Karnataka and Kerala have participated. The officials of ATARI, Zone XI and eminent Scientist were invited as resource persons to orient the newly recruited scientists. An overview of KVK system in India, Participatory Aural Appraisal, Technology testing, assessment, and Frontline demonstration, capacity building of farmers, rural youth, women and extension functionaries, working with farmers organizations and technology providers, biodiversity protection, preparing research & development projects, Knowledge sharing in digital era, organizing mandated activities, administrative and financial matters were covered during the training programme.