According to the panellists, the region has a huge potential for crop and livestock production
The ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna, Bihar recently organised the meeting of the task force committee on ’Strategies for Agricultural Development in Middle Gangetic Plains.’
Dr RC Srivastava, Vice-Chancellor, Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar emphasised that the Middle Gangetic plains have rich natural and human resources. He urged the scientists for gathering information related to the effect of milk productivity of the milch animals due to flood.
Dr Bijendra Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Acharya Narendradev University of Agriculture & Technology, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh stressed the use of solar energy, protected cultivation and early season crop cultivars for fetching higher returns.
Dr Rameshwar Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Bihar Animal Sciences University, Patna accentuated social inclusion, gender empowerment and suitable developmental models for more infusion of technology for both the public and private investments.
Dr Arun Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, Bihar Agriculture University, Sabour, Bihar emphasised the promotion of Resource Conservation Technologies, efficient use of wetland through scientific cultivation of Makhana, water chestnut, lotus and fish and micro-irrigation for high-value crops.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr Ujjwal Kumar, Director, ICAR-RCER, Patna, Bihar outlined the scope of the meeting. Dr Kumar emphasised that the Middle Indo-Gangetic Plains (MIGP) covers 66 districts of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh with a total geographical area of 18.07 m ha which is around 5.5 per cent of the total area of India. He accentuated the great potential of the Middle Gangetic Plains for crop and livestock production.
The meeting was aimed at suggesting suitable strategies for the identification of constraints and research priorities, extension mechanisms and institutional linkages for the overall agricultural development in the Middle Gangetic Plains including Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh.The senior officials of ICAR Institutes and state agricultural universities also virtually participated in the meeting.
