India Post might disseminate agri solutions

To ensure farmers have access to best practices in agriculture, the agriculture ministry is planning to tie up with India Post. Through this association, postmen will be used to share information relating to training, etc, between government officials and farmers.

Officials in the know said it had been proposed the 150,000 post offices across the country would be used as Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). Currently, India has 630 KVKs but this number is woefully inadequate, considering about 55 per cent of the country's population is dependent on farming.

"Currently, a pilot project is underway in some districts to use postmen to deliver farm extension services in rural areas. But now, we plan to launch the programme at a national level," said a senior official.

India Post has 474,574 employees, of which about 260,000 are postmen serving in rural areas.

Earlier, a working group on the 12th Five-Year Plan had suggested the government should appoint at least an extension worker for every 1,200 farmers.