'Krishi Sakhis' to be felicitated by PM Modi in Varanasi; all you need to know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will grant certificates to over 30,000 self-help groups upskilled as Krishi Sakhis at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, June 18.

Who are Krishi Sakhis?

Krishi Sakhis are trained agriculture para-extension workers at the grassroots level and experienced farmers themselves. They are trained in agricultural practices to support and guide fellow farmers. They play a key role in improving soil health and help farmers with necessary information and skills related to natural farming.

Last year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare (MAFW) and the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the Krishi Sakhi Convergence Program (KSCP), which aims to enhance the skills of rural women in agriculture.

What is the Krishi Sakhi convergence program?

The 'Lakhpati Didi' program aims to uplift women. One aspect of the program is the KSCP, which intends to empower rural women as Krishi Sakhis, who can earn around ₹60,000 to ₹80,000 annually.

Krishi Sakhis get training on various extension service for 56 days on the below-mentioned modules:

• Agro-ecological practices from land preparation to harvest
• Seed banks + Establishment and Management
• Organising Farmer Field schools
• Soil health and moisture conservation practices
• Livestock management basis
• Preparation and use of bio inputs along with the establishment of bio inputs shops
• Integrated farming systems
• Basic communication skills

"Now these Krishi Sakhis are undergoing refresher training with a special focus on Natural Farming and Soil Health Card through DAY-NRLM agencies in coordination with MANAGE (formerly National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management)," the government said in a release.

So far, 34,000 Krishi Sakhis have been certified as para-extension workers. In the first phase, the Krishi Sakhi training program has been rolled out in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Meghalaya.