Success Stories on “Agriculture and Farmers’ welfare” in Bihar

 Outline 

• Agriculture Of Bihar
• Agriculture Of Bihar: Efforts and Outcomes
• Some Key Initiatives by State GovernmentS
• Success Stories
• Way Ahead

Agriculture Of Bihar

• Agriculture is the key to the overall development and the backbone of the state economy with 77% of the workforce is engaged in this sector.
• The state is generating nearly 24.84% of the GSDP of the state(2011-12) including Forestry and Fishing.
• Despite several draughts and floods, other limitations, and vulnerability the state, riding on its potential, resource endowment and farmer’s spirited toil and efforts, captures the attention of the world breaking several records in paddy production and created new records in yield of potato and wheat.
• Once regarded as backward state on the agriculture front also, Bihar is now hogging the limelight at national level and its farmers are getting national awards due to their hard work and spirited efforts.

Agriculture Of Bihar: Efforts and Outcomes

• The state has attained self-sufficiency in food grain production.
• Bihar has now total cropped area of 52 lakh hectares and produced around 151 lakh tonne of food grains.
• It registered 30% growth in agriculture production in the last fiscal and is at number one position in the eastern region of our country.
• Bihar is among top 5 rice and wheat producer in the country and topped in the yield rate of rice.
• Bihar is the 3rd largest producer of vegetables, which is dominated by potato, Onion, eggplants and cauliflower.
• In fruit cultivation, it is largest producer of Litchi and 3rd largestp of pineapple in the country as well as major producer of mango, Banana and Guava.

Some Key Initiatives by  State Government • :

Krishi Road Map:

• Bihar launched an agricultural roadmap with the aim of “Rainbow Revolution” in 2012.
• The ambitious two phase, five year roadmap for the fiscal year 2012 to 2017 and 2017 to 2022, aims at setting up an exclusive 1,500 MW power network for agriculture.
• The Power network will curb dependence of farmer’s on diesel generator for faming.
• The Plan also includes innovative ideas of integration of solar power with fisheries.
• The slogan is "Upar Bijli aur niche Paani"

System of Rice Intensification (SRI):

SRI sanskriti method launched to maximize the yield of ricep production in the state.

Chief Minister Horticulture Mission:

• The Main objective is to promote growth of horticulture sector, encourage aggregation of farmer’s, enhancing income strengthen nutritional security, improve productivity by way of quality germ-plasm, skill development and create employment opportunity for rural youth.

Organic Farming Production Program 

• Bihar government has launched this program for the cultivation of organic crops in all districts.
•  Under this plang is currently helping these farmers in producing natural fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides.
• For the first time in India, farmers of Bihar will get 50% subsidy for production of wormy compost, a natural fertilizer.
• At present, certification of organic crops produced in Nalandah started which is being done by an agency, Ecocert.
• In Muzaffarpur, the National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) is doing certification of "Litchi".

Establishment of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) in districts:

• As a first line extension system KVKs have brought in visible changes in agriculture production system through raising productivity, increasing seed replacement ratio,capacity building of farmers and extension functionaries,empowering women and promoting self-help groups.

Bihar Agriculture Growth and Reform Initiative (BAGRI)

• It is aimed at reaching out to farmers towards implementation of extension activities and developing agriculture markets, capacity building, training, integrating farmers, market, federation and government officials.

SUCCESS STORIES

The Krisi Road Map, good government schemes and proper implementation  and management resulted in a tremendous growth along with some inspiring success stories. Some of them are as follows:

 Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) awarded Sudhansu Kumar from Bihar the 2009 Jagjivan Ram Kisan Puraskar for his innovative scientific techniques and methods off management and farming.

 Sudhanshu has evolved a new technique for mango farming like pruning trees and dismantling diseased branches and other innovative methods in basic process. The result helped him to increase his income from Rs 10,000 to Rs 6,00,000 in the span of

eight years.

Dilip Singh of Rohtas, the person who helped Bihar in becoming leading state in Economic Growth, got the award the JagjivanbRam Kisan Puraskar for 2009 for his innovative scientific techniques and methods of farm management and farming. 

 Shashi Kumar of Gaya, got the award the Jagjivan Ram Kisan Puraskar for his excellent work in Honey Production in 2010 and Santosh kumar from the same district in 2012 for his excellent work in Dairy.

 Bihar specialize in Litchi Production in such a way that it produces 70% (340,000 tons) of total Litchi production of the country and occupies nearly 54% (3200 hectares) of the area under Litchi production in the country.

LITCHI PRODUCTION

• Bihar specialize in Litchi Production in such a way that it produces 70% (340,000 tons) of total Litchi production of the country and occupies nearly 54% (3200 hectares) of the area under Litchi production in the country.
• Bihar exports around 180,000 tons to European and West Asian countries.
• Bihar has initiated steps to obtain Geographical Indication (GI) tag (intellectual property right) for the Shahi variety of Litchi grown in Muzaffarpur and some other areas that is in great demand in international market.
• The National Research Centre for Litchi (NRCL) in collaboration with science and technology got together with a group of farmers (who grow litchi) to form the cluster. The cluster of farmers were given a series of training and were given scientific input like method of non-pesticide management to grow the fruit. Ever since the cluster was formed the farm production has increased by 10 to 12%.

Way Ahead

• Bihar is drawing a lot of attention on the development front these days. 

Though the state has made progress in the last decade under new government, it is still struggling to lure the big-time investors and usher in an era of industrialization. 

• Now, things are beginning to change. With the spirited efforts of some districts and some hard working and innovative farmers, it is now being evident that Bihar could lead from the front in the agriculture sector if its farmer get adequate support from the authorities to create opportunities for their socio-economic uplift and welfare.
• Strengthening agro- based industries, the system of SRI method, further promotion of organic farming, providing farmers right incentives and finding them appropriate market and checking the migration of unskilled manpower by creating enough employment opportunities back home are the upfront challenge to the government and the key to agricultural development and farmers welfare as well.