ICAR-ATARI, Kanpur Concludes Hands-on Training on Landscape Diagnostic Survey Using ODK

12 August 2026, Kanpur

The two-day hands-on training programme on Landscape Diagnostic Survey (LDS) using Open Data Kit (ODK), jointly organized by ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Kanpur, in collaboration with IFPRI, IRRI and CIMMYT, concluded successfully on 12 August 2026.

The second day of the programme commenced with the inauguration of the MELIA/MEL Cell at ICAR-ATARI, Kanpur, followed by a plantation drive organized to mark Hariyali Amavasya. The initiative highlighted the Institute’s commitment to integrating environmental sustainability with agricultural research, extension and development.

A key component of the training was a field-based practical exercise, during which Subject Matter Specialists (SMSs) from six identified Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) interacted with farmers and collected real-time field information using the ODK platform. The exercise provided participants with practical experience in digital data collection, questionnaire administration, data validation and quality assurance, thereby strengthening their preparedness for the pilot implementation of LDS in the selected districts.

The valedictory session was graced by Dr R. R. Burman, Assistant Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR, New Delhi, as the Chief Guest. Addressing the participants and farmers, Dr. Burman emphasized the need to further strengthen the research–extension–farmer linkage through data-driven approaches. He stressed the importance of engaging students and other stakeholders in developing a continuous feedback mechanism to support demand-driven agricultural research and effective technology dissemination.

Dr Raghwendra Singh, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Kanpur, highlighted the significance of the Landscape Diagnostic Survey in strengthening the “Lab-to-Land” approach. He stated that LDS would systematically capture farmers’ field-level realities, constraints and needs, enabling these insights to be translated into demand-driven research priorities and extension programmes.

The two-day training provided a valuable platform for bringing together digital technologies, field-level diagnostics and stakeholder participation, laying the foundation for more evidence-based and farmer-responsive agricultural research and extension initiatives.

(Source: ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone III, Kanpur)