Bhubaneswar, October 3: The Odisha Government on Saturday launched 'Krushi Unnata Sahayogi' initiative, an internship programme, with an objective to bridge the academic agricultural education with field-level extension services.
Originally initiated in 2023, this expanded programme is now being implemented across all 314 blocks in 30 districts of Odisha from October through December, coinciding with the Kharif season. A total of 964 final-year undergraduate students specializing in Agriculture and Horticulture from various state agricultural universities have been selected as "Sahayogis" (Associates), with approximately two to three student associates deployed per block.
Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Minister KV Singh Deo launched the programme at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).
Operating field hours from Monday through Friday (10 AM to 5 PM), the associates will work alongside Gram Panchayat-level extension staff to conduct pest and crop disease monitoring using digital tools such as e-Pest and the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS).
As part of their practical scope, each student will execute qualitative surveys covering 100 farmers and conduct five semi-physical Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) to evaluate harvest yields. Additionally, the students will visit local input dealers, one Farmer Producer Organization (FPO), two Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and two Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) or Large-sized Adivasi Multipurpose Societies (LAMPS) to raise awareness about government schemes and mobile applications, while documenting farmer challenges, success stories, and feedback to strengthen the link between academic learning and grassroots extension.
Student activities and performance will be tracked digitally through the KUS App and monitored via the ADAPT Dashboard, with weekly reviews conducted by Block Agriculture Officers and Assistant Agriculture Officers. Upon successful completion of the three-month internship, students will receive a stipend of Rs 21,000 along with a completion certificate issued by the respective Chief District Agriculture Officer (CDAO).
