Marathwada
region of Maharashtra has mainly dry land agriculture. Single crop is the only
subsistence of majority of the farmers. The establishment of Marathwada Krishi
Vidypaeeth at Parbhani is the solace for fulfillment of aspirations of the
farmers of the region. The University was established on 18th May
1972 and it successfully emerged as a centre of excellence for higher education
in Agriculture, Food Technology, Horticulture, Home Science, Agricultural
Engineering, Agril. Biotechnology and Agricultural Business Management. The
University has set a remarkable bench mark in education, research and extension
for overall agricultural development in the operational jurisdiction of 8
districts of the Marathwada region.
Education
:
The
mission of this University is to impart quality higher education in Agriculture
and its allied sciences, to develop innovative & need based technologies
and to transfer them to the farms for increasing productivity of agricultural
and horticultural crops for the upliftment of socioeconomic status of farming
community.
The
University has 12 constituent and 43 affiliated colleges for undergraduate (UG)
and post-graduate (M.Sc./M.Tech/Ph.D) programmes in Agriculture, Horticulture,
Food Technology, Home Science, Agricultural Engineering, Agril. Biotechnology
and Agril Business Management with a total intake of 792 (constituent colleges)
and 3720 (affiliated colleges) at UG level, 342 at Masters level and 29 for
Ph.D. per year. The syllabus of UG and PG educational programmes are
implemented as per the recommendations of V Deans Committee and national core
group of ICAR, New Delhi.
The
University has established College of Agriculture Biotechnology in 2006 and
Postgraduate Institute of Agril Business Management in 2008.
Lower
Agricultural Education -There
are 9 constituent and 53 private Agricultural Technical Schools. The annual
intake of the schools is 3720. The students passed 10th standard are qualified
to apply for it. These schools provide trained manpower for gross root work 27,
444 students have completed this diploma course.
Research
:
Research-The
University has been consistently involved in the mission of generation of
research outcome congruent with the agro-climatic conditions of the region and
the needs of farmers. Meticulous care is taken to ensure that the developed
research technologies should be feasible, economically viable and acceptable to
the farmers.
The University has 17 research
stations established at various locations in the Marathwada region. There are
23 AICRPs in major area of research like cotton, sorghum ,bajra, rice pulses,
soybean, oilseeds, vegetables, dry land, water management and cropping system
etc. The University has collaborative research project with ICRISAT, Hyderabad, DBT New Delhi, ICCR Nagpur and Krishidhan Seeds Pvt. Ltd. Jalna.
The vital varieties of various
crops have been released for cultivation by VNMKV suitable for this region i.e
Cotton (NH 452 PH 93, NH 44, PH 93), Jowar (Parbhani moti, CSV, PVK 801
(Parbhani Sweta), PVK 809, SPV 1411), Bajra (AIMP 92901, PPC 6, ABH 1666, ABPC
4-3), Maize (PMH 19), Paddy (Parag, PBNR 93-1), Pigeon pea (BSMR 736, BSNR 853,
BDN 708, BDN 711), Chick pea (BDNG 797, BDN 9-3), Soyabean (MAUS 47, MAUS 71,
MAUS 81, MAUS 158), Sunflower (LSH-1,3, LSF 8), Okhra (Parbhani Kranti,
Parbhani bhendi),Tamarind (Pratishtan,No. 263), Mango (Niranjan, Parbhani
Bhushan), Custard Apple (TP-7), Kazilime (Vikram, Parbhani).
Nevertheless,the University has
given 115 recommendations for Crop improvement and more than 600 Recommendations
for Crop Production, Crop Protection, Natural Resource Management. Animal
Husbandry, Social Sciences, Food Processing, Agricultural Engineering, Soil
Conservation and Home Science since establishment. Morever, the Animal Science
scientists have developed and released a crossed cow Holedeo for this region.
The University is well known for its
innovative research in sorghum, pigeon pea, soybean, sunflower, safflower,
cotton which are the strength of the University. NHH-44 cotton released by MKV
is now available as GM Bt. Cotton. Staple length of Gossypium arboretum desi
cotton is improved through interspecific hybridization programme. Apomixis in
cotton is being utilized for developing varieties/ hybrids. Virus resistant
variety YVM (Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus) resistant verity Parbhani Kranti (Ladies
finger) is developed by this University.
The University has evolved and
released more than 135 varieties/ hybrid crops and over 786
production technologies. Whereas, widely popular American hybrid cotton NHH44,
dual purpose hybrids and varieties of sorghum for kharif PVK 809, SPV 1162 and
rabi Parbhani Moti, the rice variety Prabhavati tolerant to iron chlorosis,
non-spiny variety of safflower PBNS 40 and commercial tissue culture protocols
for mass multiplication of banana and sugarcane are some of the notable
achievements during the period under report. Improvement in integrated pest
management modules were developed by introducing bio-pesticides entomopathogens
and parasitoids against major insect pests and diseases.
The University has established two
research stations namely Sweet Orange Research Station at Badnapur (2006) and
Banana Research Station at Nanded (2006) for mass multiplication of plant
material are developed for fruit crops, softwood grafting in tamarind,
identification of ideal root stocks, Rangpur lime for sweet orange, fertigation
and crop geometry for banana are significant research contributions in
Horticulture to cater to the needs of farmers of this region Custard Apple
Research Center was established at Ambajogai in Beed District.
Extension :
Extension Education-The
genesis of the Extension Education lies in the establishment of Department of
Extension Education, College of Agriculture, Parbhani (1956). Later on the
College,Extension Block was added in 1958. After establishment of Marathwada
Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani in 1972, Extension Education Unit (1975),
Communication Centre (1975), T & V Sysem of extension along with
Directorate of Extension Education (1981-82), Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Aurangabad
(1983); Agril. Technology information Centre, Parbhani (2000); Krishi Vigyan
Kendra, Tuljapur (2000) ; Regional Agril Extension Education centres at
Ambajogai, Latur, Aurangabad & Parbhani (2003) ; Krishi Vigyan Kendra,
Khamgaon (2010) were established for transfer of agricultural & allied
science technologies to farmers and rural folk for enhancing agricultural
production & their quality of life.
The project TOT-TAR-IVLP
(2000-2005) and DBT- RBC (2005-2010) were successfully implemented with the
financial assistance form ICAR Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India.
Presently, Technology Mission on citrus for Marathwada (2009-10 to 2011-12),
NAIP Project Efficient Land Use Based Integrated Farming System Rural
Livelihood Security in Aurangabad District (April - 2009-June ), Sustainable
Rural Livelihood Security through Integrate Approach in Hingoli and Nanded
Districts (2008-09 to 2012-13) and National initiative on Climate Resilient
Agriculture (NICRA) (2010-11 to 2012-13) are working under this Directorate
with financial assistance of ICAR/ Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India. The
Transfer of Integrated Management Rabi crop Technologies developed by VNMKV,
Parbhani under the scheme Rashtrya Krishi VikasYojana is being carried out
since 2011.
The
Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC) renders professionalized
services to the farmers. Kisan Call Centre, Telephone Help line services are
available for clearing the queries of the farmers. With the held of Mobile Crop
Polyclinic, for given farm on spot solutions to the farmers. The demonstrations
of different crops with improved production technologies are conducted on 65
acres of land. Transfer of Agricultural Technology Week is organized in second
week of October every year. Above 20,000 farmers get benefited due to this
activity every year The University has the facilities of video conferencing,
interactive classrooms and farmers hostels for this purpose. On 18th
May the MKV foundation day every year, certified and truthful seeds are sold to
the farmers. Krishi Rath was launched for the distribution of seeds in time to
the farmers.