ICAR: Apex Body for Agricultural Research & Education
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), established in 1929, leads India’s agricultural research and higher education system under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It oversees 113 research institutes, 74 universities, and 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) across the country, making it one of the world’s largest agricultural networks.
ICAR sets national standards through the ICAR Model Act (Revised 2023) and the Minimum Requirements for Establishing Agricultural Colleges, while also accrediting institutions through the National Agricultural Education Accreditation Board.
India’s agricultural education ecosystem includes 63 State Agricultural Universities, 3 Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs), and 4 deemed universities such as IARI, NDRI, IVRI, and CIFE. These universities promote region-specific agricultural research, innovation, and extension activities.
The three Central Agricultural Universities—RPCAU (Pusa, Bihar), CAU (Imphal, Manipur), and RLBCAU (Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh) play a crucial role in developing skilled manpower and modern agricultural curricula aligned with the National Education Policy.
Integrating AI & IoT in Modern Farming
India’s agriculture sector is undergoing a digital revolution. The government promotes Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) for precision farming, smart irrigation, pest management, and yield prediction.
Under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), 25 Technology Innovation Hubs have been established. IITs such as Ropar, Bombay, and Kharagpur are developing smart farming tools for real-time data-based decisions.
Moreover, Centres of Excellence in cities like Bengaluru, Gurugram, and Visakhapatnam are connecting startups, industry, and academia to democratize agricultural innovation.
Empowering Farmers Through Training & Skilling
Training and skill development remain central to India’s agricultural transformation. Schemes like Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY), Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) are helping farmers adopt modern practices.
Between 2021–25, KVKs trained over 76 lakh farmers nationwide, while the ATMA scheme trained 1.27 crore farmers in improved agronomy and market-oriented techniques. The Soil Health Card Scheme has distributed over 25 crore cards, promoting balanced fertilization practices.
Supporting Agripreneurs & Startups
The Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development Programme under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) supports startups in agri-tech, AI, and food processing. Since 2018–19, it has nurtured hundreds of agripreneurs to boost farmers’ income and generate rural employment.
Additionally, more than 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have been registered, helping farmers access markets and digital learning modules for agribusiness management.
Conclusion
India’s agricultural education and training ecosystem is evolving into a knowledge-driven system connecting classrooms to crop fields. With ICAR’s leadership, Central and State Universities’ collaboration, and farmer-centric training programs, India is building a skilled agricultural workforce capable of harnessing AI and IoT technologies. These collective efforts are key to ensuring sustainable growth, improved productivity, and resilient rural livelihoods as India marches toward its goal of “Viksit Bharat.”