The first KVK was established in 1974 at Puducherry. The number of KVKs has risen to 731. The KVK scheme is 100% financed by Govt. of India and the KVKs are sanctioned to Agricultural Universities, ICAR institutes, related Government Departments & Non- Government Organizations (NGOs) working in Agriculture.
KVK, is an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), aims at assessment of location specific technology modules in agriculture & allied enterprises, through technology assessment, refinement & demonstrations. KVKs have been functioning as Knowledge and Resource Centre of agricultural technology supporting initiatives of public, private & voluntary sector for improving the agricultural economy of the district and are linking the NARS with extension system & farmers.
The ICAR- Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI), Zone VI and 47 KVKs under its fold spanning three different states, viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Sikkim have made strenuous efforts in its endeavour to successfully execute the various job roles fulfilling the mandates enshrined for the KVKs and ICAR-ATARI, Guwahati. The first KrishiVigyan Kendra Sonitpur was started in 1981, under the administrative control of Assam Agricultural University(AAU),Jorhat. A great deal of support received from Directorates of Extension Education of Assam Agricultural University & Central Agricultural University as well as host organizations has facilitated the materialization of various mandates of the institute fulfilling the needs of different stakeholders including KVKs in providing technological & methodological backstopping, information support, skill up-gradation, entrepreneurship development etc. in crops and other livestock enterprises.