The ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region (RCER) in Patna held a field day on "Water-Smart and Regenerative Farming" at its Sabajpura research farm, showing technologies meant to use water better, improve soil health, cut cultivation costs and make farms more resilient to climate change. More than 100 farmers and others took part.
Narmadeshwar Lal, Principal Secretary of Bihar's Agriculture Department, toured the demonstrations: water-smart farming, raised-and-sunken bed systems, integrated crop and aquaculture systems, micro-irrigation, direct-seeded rice, climate-resilient rice varieties, rice-fallow management, integrated farming models, fruit and vegetable diversification, agroforestry and resource-conserving technologies. He also saw the farm's seed-processing unit.
Lal said the technologies should reach many more farmers and that the state Agriculture Department would support their adoption. Farmers told him about the improved seed, planting material, inputs and training they had received from the institute.
RCER director Dr Anup Das said water-smart and regenerative farming answers climate change, uncertain water supply, soil degradation and rising costs, and that efficient irrigation, climate-resilient varieties, diversified farming and resource-conserving practices can protect natural resources while improving profits.
Fruit saplings and quality vegetable seeds were distributed to the farmers at the event.
Photo: Jagadeesh. S / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: ICAR
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