Context: As per the Central Government, during the last one-year (January 2022- December 2022) 1,60,000 farmers have received benefits under Biotech-KISAN scheme.
Biotech-KISAN Scheme
- Biotech Krishi Innovation Science Application Network (Biotech KISAN) is a scientist-farmer partnership scheme launched in 2017 for agriculture innovation.
- Objective: To connect science laboratories with the farmers to find out innovative solutions and technologies on the problems related to water, soil, seeds, and marketing.
- The programme provides funding to establish the Biotech KISAN Hub in each of 15 Agro-climatic zones of the country.
- Each Hub creates a network by developing strong linkages with top quality scientific institutions/State Agricultural Universities/Krishi Vigyan Kendras/existing state agriculture extension services/system and other Farmers’ organizations in the region as well as linkages with leading international institutions/organizations.
- Initiative of: Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Core activities of Biotech KISAN Hub
- Understanding the problems of the local farmers.
- Scouting for available technologies and solutions to problems of farmers in the region.
- Demonstration and scale-up programmes for implementing the solutions to the problems of farmers – addressing water, soil, seed, and marketing issues.
- Creation of strong Scientists-Farmers Interaction Platform and connectivity; training programmes for the farmer and immersion programmes for scientists.
- Communication set up through radio and TV and connectivity through social media.
- Individual thematic fellowship programmes for selected farmers in the zone at high-tech science laboratories.
- Special solution-driven thematic fellowships to women farmers (Mahila Kisan Biotech Fellowship) to develop them as leaders and grass root scientists.
