Empowering Framers through Skill Development

• 11 Oct 2025

Source: PIB 

Why in News?  

With two-thirds of India’s population dependent on agriculture, empowering farmers through skill development has become a priority. The government is prioritizing skill development to boost farmers' productivity and ensure sustainable growth. 

What are the Key Initiatives Focusing on Agricultural Skill Development? 

• Institutional Platforms for Farmer Training: 
  • Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs): ICAR-established district-level KVKs providing hands-on training; trained 58.02 lakh farmers (2021–2024) and 18.56 lakh till February 2025. 
  • Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA): ATMA promotes decentralised extension reforms; trained 1.27 crore farmers (2021–2025) through state-led training, demonstrations, and exposure visits.

• Skilling Rural Youth and Promoting Mechanisation:  
  • Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY): Provides short-term vocational training in allied sectors; 43,000 youth trained (2021–2024), building skilled rural manpower. 
  • Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM): SMAM promotes farm mechanisation and custom hiring services; trained 57,139 farmers (2021–2025). 

• Strengthening Knowledge on Soil, Resources, and Value Chains: 
  • Soil Health Card Scheme: Distributed 25.17 crore cards (as of July 2025); conducted 93,000+ training and 6.8 lakh demonstrations, promoting balanced nutrient management. 
  • Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs): Over 10,000 registered, offering training on agri-business, market linkages, and use of digital platforms like e-NAM and GeM. 
• Sector-Specific Skilling Initiatives: 
  • Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 4.0) enhances farmers’ employability through large-scale agricultural skill training and certification. 
    • It integrates agriculture skills, training 1.64 crore and certifying 1.29 crore individuals since 2015. 
  • Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) promotes scientific horticulture practices for improved productivity and income. 
    • The mission trained 9.73 lakh farmers (2014–2024) in horticulture practices. 
  • Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) focuses on improving livestock quality through training in breeding and artificial insemination. 
    • It trained 38,736 technicians in artificial insemination and livestock breeding. 
  • Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) strengthens the agro-processing sector to reduce wastage and increase farmers’ income. 
    • The scheme approved 1,601 agro-processing projects, benefiting 34 lakh farmers.

Click here to Read: 7 New Schemes to Boost Farmer Income 

Agriculture Related Findings (Economic Survey 2024-25) 

• Agricultural Growth: Agriculture sector grew at 5% annually (2016-23), with GVA share rising from 24.38% (2014-15) to 30.23% (2022-23). 
  • Agricultural income has grown at 5.23% annually over the past decade. 
• Sectoral Performance: The fisheries sector had the highest growth rate (13.67%), followed by livestock (12.99%) between 2013-14 and 2022-23, while oilseeds grew slowly at 1.9%. 
• Irrigation Coverage: It increased from 49.3% (2015-16) to 55% (2020-21) of Gross Cropped Area (GCA), while irrigation intensity rose from 144.2% to 154.5%. 
  • Punjab (98%), Haryana (94%), Uttar Pradesh (84%), and Telangana (86%) have high irrigation coverage, while Jharkhand and Assam have below 20%. 
    • GCA is the total land cultivated in an agricultural year, including multiple cropping cycles on the same land. 

Drishti Mains Question: 

Empowering farmers through skill development and training is vital for transforming Indian agriculture from subsistence to enterprise-driven growth. Discuss.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Q1.What is the Soil Health Card Scheme? 
Provides farmers with detailed soil nutrient status reports and fertilizer recommendations to improve crop productivity and soil health. 

Q2. What are the main institutional platforms and schemes for agricultural skill development in India? 
VKS (Village Knowledge Centres), ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency), PMKVY 4.0 (Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0), and PMKSY — key schemes training millions in modern farming and agri-entrepreneurship. 

Q3.What opportunities do mechanisation and rural skilling create for farmers and youth? 
SMAM (Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization) and STRY (Skill Training of Rural Youth) promote mechanisation and vocational skills, enabling rural employment and productivity gains.  

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ) 

Prelims:

Q. In the context of India’s preparation for Climate -Smart Agriculture, consider the following statements: (2021)

1. The ‘Climate-Smart Village’ approach in India is a part of a project led by the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), an international research programme. 
2. The project of CCAFS is carried out under Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) headquartered in France. 
3. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India is one of the CGIAR’s research centres. 

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only 

(b) 2 and 3 only 

(c) 1 and 3 only 

(d) 1, 2 and 3 

Ans: (d) 

Q. In India, which of the following can be considered as public investment in agriculture? (2020)

1. Fixing Minimum Support Price for agricultural produce of all crops 
2. Computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies 
3. Social Capital development 
4. Free electricity supply to farmers 
5. Waiver of agricultural loans by the banking system 
6. Setting up of cold storage facilities by the governments 

Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

(a) 1, 2 and 5 only 

(b) 1, 3, 4 and 5 only 

(c) 2, 3 and 6 only 

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 

Ans: (c)

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Mains: 

Q. Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop insurance and bring out the salient features of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). (2016)

Q. Explain various types of revolutions, took place in Agriculture after Independence in India. How these revolutions have helped in poverty alleviation and food security in India? (2017)