KVK Palakkad

21/03/2026

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Palakkad successfully conducted a three-day Capacity Building Programme on “Importance of Millets and Their Value Addition.” The programme aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of farmers, entrepreneurs, and rural youth in millet processing and value addition.

On the first day, participants were trained in the preparation of various baked products using millets, highlighting their nutritional benefits and market potential. The second day focused on the development of shelf-stable value-added millet products, providing hands-on experience in processing, preservation, and packaging techniques. The third day covered important aspects such as FSSAI regulations, branding, and marketing strategies to support participants in establishing and promoting millet-based enterprises.The programme was highly informative and practical, equipping participants with the necessary skills to promote millet-based value addition and entrepreneurship.

18/03/2026

Krishi Vigyan Kendra Palakkad conducted a coconut climbing training programme for farmers and rural youth, focusing on safe and efficient harvesting practices using modern climbing devices. The training included both theoretical and hands-on sessions, enabling participants to gain practical experience in climbing, harvesting, and ensuring safety while working at heights. The programme also emphasized the importance of timely harvesting and proper plantation management, helping participants improve coconut productivity while creating opportunities for skill development and self-employment

18/03/2026

Krishi Vigyan Kendra Palakkad conducted natural farming practical sessions at Agali, Pudur, and Sholayur in Attappady, focusing on promoting sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural practices among farmers. The programme included hands-on training on the preparation and application of important organic inputs such as Jeevamrutham, Beejamrutham, Panchagavyam, and natural pest repellents like Agniastra and Brahmastra. Farmers actively participated in the sessions and gained practical knowledge on reducing chemical inputs, improving soil health, and adopting natural farming techniques for better and sustainable crop production

11/03/2026

11/03/2026

An exposure visit of tribal farmers from Attappady was organized on 9 March 2026 to the Alangad Jaggery Processing Unit at Alangad Cooperative Bank under the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) programme of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Palakkad. The team was jointly led by Dr. Israel Thomas M., Programme Coordinator, KVK Palakkad, and Dr. Puthira Pratap, Principal Scientist, ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute. Scientists from KVK Palakkad including Dr. Lakshmy P. S., Dr. Jiji Allen J., and Dr. Smijisha A. S. also accompanied the farmers during the visit. The revival of sugarcane cultivation and the establishment of the Alangad jaggery processing unit were facilitated by ICAR–KVK Ernakulam, and the exposure visit was organized to study this successful model of sugarcane cultivation revival, processing, and marketing. During the visit, farmers observed the functioning of the jaggery processing unit and learned about the different stages involved in sugarcane processing, jaggery preparation, value addition, and marketing practices adopted by the unit. The programme provided valuable insights into processing technologies and value chain development, and the visit was intended to help KVK Palakkad explore the possibility of replicating a similar model to promote sugarcane cultivation and value addition among tribal farmers in the Attappady region.

11/03/2026

An exposure visit to the lemongrass cultivation field and essential oil extraction unit at Kothamangalam was organized on 9 March 2026 for tribal farmers from Attappady under the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) programme of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Palakkad. The visit was jointly led by Dr. Israel Thomas M., Programme Coordinator, KVK Palakkad, and Dr. Puthira Pratap, Principal Scientist, ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute. Scientists from KVK Palakkad including Dr. Lakshmy P. S., Dr. Jiji Allen J., and Dr. Smijisha A. S. accompanied the farmers during the programme.The lemongrass cultivation and essential oil extraction unit at Kothamangalam was facilitated by ICAR–KVK Ernakulam under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) programme as a model initiative for promoting aromatic crop cultivation and value addition. During the visit, the farmers were introduced to lemongrass cultivation practices, field management, harvesting techniques, and post-harvest handling. They also observed the functioning of the essential oil extraction unit and learned about the steam distillation process used for extracting lemongrass oil. Discussions were also held on the economic potential of aromatic crops, market opportunities for essential oils, and scope for value addition and entrepreneurship.The exposure programme helped farmers gain practical knowledge on aromatic crop cultivation and processing technologies, while also enabling KVK Palakkad to study the successful model developed by KVK Ernakulam for exploring similar livelihood opportunities in suitable areas such as the Attappady region

11/03/2026

KVK Palakkad conducted a practical session on Natural Farming at Mannarkkad

10/03/2026

05/03/2026

Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Palakkad conducted a Natural Farming Practical Session at Palakkad for farmers. The programme included hands-on training on the preparation and application of important natural farming inputs such as Jeevamrutham, Beejamrutham, Panchagavya and Neemastra. Farmers actively participated in the practical demonstrations and gained knowledge on the use of these bio-inputs for improving soil health, pest management and sustainable crop production. The session aimed at promoting eco-friendly and low-cost natural farming practices among farmers.

03/03/2026

The Krishi Vigyan Kendra Palakkad distributed banana bunch covers, cowpea seeds, papaya saplings, and passion fruit saplings to SC farmers of Vallappuzha Panchayat.
The programme was organized with the objective of promoting crop diversification, improving productivity, and enhancing the income of farming households through scientific support and timely input supply.

26/02/2026

As part of the Tribal Sub Plan programme, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Palakkad, in collaboration with ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, convened a meeting for establishing a small-scale sugarcane processing unit at Melechootra, Attappady. The meeting was chaired by Dr. V. Venkatasubramaniyan, Director, ICAR-ATARI Zone XI, and was attended by Principal Scientist Dr. Puthira Prathabh along with tribal farmers.First-ever introduction of sugarcane cultivation in Melechootra, Attappady, was done under the Front Line Demonstration (FLD) conducted by KVK Palakkad, which has yielded excellent results. The successful harvest has encouraged farmers to move towards value addition through jaggery production. Dr. Venkatasubramaniyan highlighted that the proposed jaggery processing unit would be a boon to tribal farmers by promoting entrepreneurship and improving income. He expressed hope that “Attappady Jaggery” would gain recognition similar to Alangad Jaggery,It was also decided during the meeting to introduce lemongrass cultivation as a border crop to help mitigate elephant intrusion in the area, thereby ensuring crop protection and sustainable farming in Attappady.