Correspondent, Almora
Almora.
Nestled in the heart of Uttarakhand, the ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan (VPKAS), Almora, has completed 100 glorious years of service in the field of mountain agricultural research and development. Operating under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Government of India, the institute has played a pioneering role in promoting agricultural innovations not only in the north-western Himalayan states but also across other mountainous regions of the country.
Originally established in 1924 as a single laboratory by Padma Bhushan Prof. Boshi Sen, the institute was integrated into ICAR in 1974. Since then, it has been relentlessly working towards biodiversity conservation, hill agriculture development, and enhancing farmers’ incomes. Over the years, the institute has developed 201 high-quality crop varieties, including maize, wheat, onion, finger millet (mandua), and foxtail millet (madira).
Among its notable achievements are the development of the country’s first hybrid maize variety (VL Makka 54), protein-rich maize (Vivek QPM-9), and Vivek Thresher-Pearler, a machine specially designed for hill women. The institute holds three patents for innovations in BT bacteria, beetle traps, and volatile compound collection devices, highlighting its strength in agri-technological research.
In the past year, the institute notified nine new varieties of maize, paddy, finger millet, etc., and produced 40,665 kg of seeds, the majority of which were distributed to 24 states. More than 765 farmers received direct technical support through WhatsApp groups, helplines, SMS services, and YouTube channels.
Under Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe sub-plans, the institute implemented the “Uder Khani Model” in Uder Khani village of Bageshwar district, imparting training in beekeeping, mushroom cultivation, and vegetable production, resulting in an average annual income of ₹60,000 per farmer.
The institute envisions affordable, climate-resilient, and organic farming solutions to empower farmers and promote self-reliance. Strengthening women’s participation, seed distribution networks, and natural resource conservation remain among its top priorities.
