Hyderabad: Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has asked the Centre to approve 16 new Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and supply 25,000 portable sprinkler systems to help small and marginal farmers.
He met Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi on Monday. During the meeting, Rao said KVKs are vital for reaching farmers with technical support. Telangana has 70.60 lakh farmers working on 67.14 lakh hectares, yet only 16 of its 33 districts have KVKs.
Telangana new KVKs essential for farmer outreach, says minister
Rao proposed that the new centres be run by the State Agricultural University, Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticulture University (SKLTHU), or similar institutions. He said Telangana is focusing on horticulture, with crops grown across 12.40 lakh acres and annual output above 71.52 lakh tonnes. These KVKs, he added, could boost value addition, promote exports, and support water and crop management through digital tools.
Rao also asked the Centre to increase sprinkler units under the RKVY – Per Drop More Crop scheme. For 2025–26, Telangana received 16,510 units, and 9,346 have already reached farmers during Kharif.
He pointed out that small farmers growing crops like groundnut, pulses, carrot, and beetroot struggle to afford sprinklers. Therefore, he urged the Centre to increase supply for the Rabi season. With proper support, he said, Telangana can raise farm incomes and improve rural livelihoods.
