In an effort to combat shortage of skilled labour for farming activities, the Ernakulam Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has launched a farm service centre equipped with a wide range of machineries and equipments to offer paid services in all kinds of farm initiatives.

Aqua, animal and agri farmers of Ernakulam district can avail the facility.

The centre will offer all kinds of machineries ranging from tractors, power tiller, power weeder, to water pump. In addition, scientific advisories will be provided during the farm visits.

A Gopalakrishnan, CMFRI Director who inaugurated the centre, said the new initiative will benefit hundreds of farmers who are struggling owing to the shortage of technically trained labourers.

The farm service centre has been set up with a cost of ₹40 lakh under a project of the Union government to popularise the mechanised farming, he said.

Presently, trained staff of the KVK provides these technical services such as land preparation, and pond preparation. Self-help groups will be formed in future to make available the farm services to large-scale farmers. More equipments and machinery will be added soon, he added.

Now, the farm service centre is focusing on the seasonal works of paddy land preparation as the monsoon has arrived, said Shinoj Subramannian, Senior Scientist and Head of KVK.

Those who are in need of farm services may register their names with the KVK . Those who are trained in agro machinery operation and interested to take part in this mission can also register their names.

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