The Zonal Coordination Unit for Transfer of Technology, Zone-X was established in September, 1979 as Cess Fund Scheme at Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University, Hyderabad primarily to monitor the activities of the Lab to Land Programme in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Pondichery.
Subsequently in 1985, the unit was shifted to the campus of Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad. The Unit was given the responsibility of monitoring of Lab to Land Programme until 1986. Later during the year the unit was brought under the plan scheme of ICAR.
In 1987, the Council gave the unit additional responsibility of monitoring other ICAR supported Transfer of Technology Projects viz. Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK), Trainers Training Centre (TTC), National Demonstration Scheme (NDS), Operational Research Projects (ORP), All India Coordinated Project on SC / ST (AICRP SC/ ST) and Special Projects on Oilseeds that were implemented in the zone.
During 1990 and 1991, the Front Line Demonstrations (FLD) on oilseeds under Oilseeds Production Programme (OPP) and pulses under National Pulse Project (NPP), farm implements and cotton are also being monitored by Unit. In 1995, a pilot project on Institute Village Linkage Programme (IVLP) was undertaken and implemented in the zone. In 1998, Zonal Research Stations under the State Agricultural Universities (SAU) were strengthened to take up the additional functions of KVKs and these re-mandated KVKs are also monitored.
"Coordination and monitoring of technology application and Frontline Extension Education Programs & Strengthening Agricultural Extension Research and Knowledge Management."
The X and XI Five Year Plan (FYP) period witnessed phenomenal growth of KVKs in the country including the establishment of new KVKs in Zone-V covering the states of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. During the period 2017-2019, 3 KVKs were established in the Andhra Pradesh, 3 in Telangana, 2 in Tamil Nadu. The Council has upgraded all the eight Zonal Coordination Units to the status of Directorates in 2009. Subsequently during the XII plan the Zonal Project Directorate (ZPD) was renamed as ATARI (Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute).
| State | No. of Rural Districts | No.of KVKs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAU | ICAR | NGO | DU | SDA | Total | ||
| Andhra Pradesh | 13 | 18 | 2 | 4 | - | - | 24 |
| Telangana | 33 | 10 | 1 | 5 | - | - | 16 |
| Tamil Nadu | 32 | 19 | - | 11 | 2 | - | 32 |
| Puducherry | 4 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 82 | 47 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 74 |
The first KVK was established in 1974 at Puducherry. The number of KVKs has risen to 706 and 106 more KVKs are to be established in the newly created districts and some larger districts. The KVK scheme is 100% financed by Govt. of India and the KVKs are sanctioned to Agricultural Universities, ICAR institutes, related Government Departments and Non Government Organizations (NGOs) working in Agriculture.
KVK is an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), aims at assessment of location specific technology modules in agriculture and allied enterprises, through technology assessment, refinement and demonstrations. KVKs have been functioning as Knowledge and Resource Centres of agricultural technology supporting initiatives of public, private and voluntary sector for improving the agricultural economy of the district and are linking the NARS with extension system and farmers.
Vision: Science and technology-led growth leading to enhanced Productivity, Profitability and Sustainability of agriculture.
Mission:Farmer- centric growth in agriculture and alllied sectors throgh application of appropriate technologies in specific agro-ecosystem perspective.
Mandate:Technology Assessment and Demonstration for its wider Application and enhance Capacity Development.
On-Farm Testing(OFT) to assess the location specificity of agricultural technologies under various farming systems.
Out Scaling of farm innovations through Frontline Demonstration(FLD) to showcase the specific benefits/worth of technologies on farmer's fields.
Capacity development of farmers and extension personnel to update their knowledge and skills in modern agricultural technologies and enterprises.
To work as Knowledge and Resource Centre for improving overall agricultural economy in the operational area.
Conduct frontline extension programmes and Provide farm advisories using information communication Technology (ICT) and other media on varied subjects of interest to farmers
In addition, KVKs produce quality technological products (seed, planting material, bio-agents, livestock) and make it available to farmers, organize frontline extension activities, identify and document selected farm innovations and converge with ongoing schemes and programs within the mandate of KVK.