BAU Sabour Inaugurates Neera Processing Unit

Bihar Agricultural University (BAU) Sabour has taken a significant step towards promoting the livelihood of Neera tappers and sellers by inaugurating a Neera processing unit. Dr. D.R. Singh, Vice Chancellor of BAU Sabour, inaugurated the unit in the presence of Taadi tappers, university officials, press, and media.

A Breakthrough in Neera Preservation

Dr. Singh proudly announced that BAU Sabour is the first institution to develop technologies in Palmyrah Neera processing. The university has been working on Neera preservation for several years and has successfully developed technologies for safe collection to finished Neera product. The processing unit has a capacity of 100 liters per hour.

Potential of Palm Trees in Bihar

Dr. Singh highlighted the vast potential of palm trees in Bihar, stating that there are over 90 lakh palm trees in the state. He emphasized the need for full exploration of these trees to maximize benefits through processing, entrepreneurship development, and livelihood status upgrade of Neera tappers.

Livelihood Improvement of Neera Tappers

Dr. Singh assured Neera tappers that the university will continue working on developing diversified processed products of Palmyrah palm to help in entrepreneurship development and livelihood improvement. The university has developed different technologies for Palmyrah palm products processing, including Neera preservation using pasteurization and canning techniques.

Key Researchers and Their Contributions

Dr. Ahmar Aftab, Dr. Wasim Siddiqui, Dr. Shamsher Ahmad, and Dr. Vivek Kumar played a significant role in developing the Neera preservation technology. Dr. Wasim Siddiqui, Chairman of the Department of Food Science and Technology, informed that the department's processing lines are open for community preservation.

Supporting Government Initiatives

BAU Sabour is committed to serving the livelihood improvement of Neera tappers and sellers through its support for the Mukhyamantri Neera Samvardhan Yojana. The university has also designed and patented a Neera collection box and polybag to ensure good quality Neera for processing.

Revolutionizing Neera Production

The scientists at BAU Sabour have worked extensively to develop innovative technologies for Neera production. Dr. Mohammed Wasim Siddiqui, Associate Professor and Senior Scientist, led the development of these technologies, including a technology to prepare Neera powder that can be reconstituted with water to resemble fresh Neera.

A Bright Future for Neera Tappers

The inauguration of the Neera processing unit marks a significant milestone in the development of the Neera industry in Bihar. With the support of BAU Sabour, Neera tappers can look forward to a brighter future and improved livelihoods.

NAAC accreditation with A grade and Academic leadership make BAU Sabour more sought-after by students

June 29th, 2025. Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour has shown a remarkable increase in the turnout for its M.Sc. and Ph.D. entrance examinations held today, registering an impressive 95.5% attendance this year. This marks a significant leap from the 82.5% turnout recorded in 2024, underscoring the rising academic reputation and national appeal of the institution. This significant improvement follows BAU’s recent NAAC accreditation with A grade and elevated institutional ranking, which have positioned the University as a premier institution for agricultural higher education and research in India. Students from across the country are now increasingly choosing BAU as their preferred institution for advanced studies in agricultural sciences.

Dr. D.R. Singh, Vice Chancellor of BAU, expressed his satisfaction, stating “The surge in student participation is a direct reflection of the trust and credibility BAU has earned over the years. The recognition from NAAC has further strengthened our commitment to quality education, research, and student success.” The entrance examinations were conducted smoothly across designated centres, adhering to all standard protocols. The University ensured a student-friendly process, marked by efficient coordination, timely communication, and transparent procedures, all of which contributed to the high turnout. This progress has also been bolstered by the continued support of the Government of Bihar, which remains instrumental in enabling institutional improvements, research infrastructure development, and academic innovation. This collaborative backing has played a key role in reinforcing BAU’s ability to attract and retain top talent from across the country.

In addition to academic distinction, BAU continues to gain recognition for its innovation ecosystem, especially through its incubation centre SABAGRIs, field-driven research programs, and partnerships with leading institutions at national and international levels. With this renewed momentum, BAU reaffirms its mission to foster cutting-edge agricultural research and produce future-ready agri-professionals, further strengthening its standing as a leading institution in the agricultural education landscape. BAU is being sought after by students of other agricultural educational and research institutions to intern at BAU’s state of the art laboratories facilities. Many private sector institutions and consortia are also lining up with BAU to collaborate and partner for nation building.

Summer Internship on Application of Remote Sensing and GIS in Geospatial Database Management

A two-month summer internship program on Application of Remote Sensing and GIS in Geospatial Database Management, was successfully conducted from May 1 to June 27, 2025 under the auspices of Sabour Consultancy Services (SABCONs), BAU, Sabour in collaboration with the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry (SSAC), Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour. The interns from Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneshwar worked in the recently established Remote Sensing and GIS Laboratory of the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, BAU, Sabour and were apprised with practical knowledge and skills in various aspects of geospatial data handling and analysis. Throughout the internship, students received intensive training on downloading remote sensing data from platforms such as Bhoonidhi, USGS Earth Explorer, and NASA. They were oriented about raster data processing in QGIS, including tasks such as projection transformation, clipping, and mosaicking. The program also covered watershed and landform delineation techniques for soil resource studies, supervised and unsupervised classification methods for Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) mapping, and derivation of various environmental covariates from Digital Terrain Models (DTMs). In addition, the students explored the Google Earth Engine (GEE) for satellite data analysis and visualization, year-wise NDVI analysis, and FCC creation for LULC interpretation. The curriculum further included an introduction to R software, with sessions on data visualization and geostatistical analysis using semivariogram modeling. One of the specialized modules focused on the delineation of makhana-growing soils and soil fertility mapping using GIS tools. Under the guidance of experienced faculty members namely Mr. B K Vimal, Dr. Bhabhani Prasad Mondal and Dr. Ingle Sagar Nandulal, the students were provided with one-on-one mentorship and hands-on experience for each module. At the end of the internship, the participants prepared and submitted detailed module-wise reports reflecting their learning outcomes. The internship concluded with a valedictory session presided by Dr Anshuman Kohli, CEO, SABCONs and Chairman of the Department of SSAC, faculty members, and staff. The students presented their final reports and shared their experiences during the training. This internship provided the students with valuable exposure to real-world applications of remote sensing and GIS in agricultural and environmental research, significantly enhancing their academic and professional competencies.

Students from ITM University, Gwalior intern on “Cutting-edge analytical tools and techniques in Soil Science” at SSAC, BAU Sabour

A practical and insightful Summer internship programme on “Cutting-edge analytical tools and techniques in Soil Science” was conducted during 16 to 25 June, 2025, at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, under the auspices of SABCONs in technical collaboration with the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, BAU Sabour. This hands-on training was specially designed for students of ITM University, Gwalior, with 15 participants who gained invaluable exposure to advanced soil science techniques and analytical procedures. The programme commenced with an inaugural session where the interns were briefed about the objectives and detailed schedule of the training by the organizing team which included Dr. Kasturikasen Beura, Dr. Amit Kumar Pradhan, Dr. Ingle Sagar Nadulal and Mr. Randeep Kumar. The interns then shared their expectations from the programme. The internship programme commenced with a detailed lecture on fundamental laboratory management and analytical techniques. The interns were then exposed to hands-on learning in soil sampling and soil profile studies which was followed by exposure visits to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, including an NABL-accredited pesticide residue analysis lab, X-ray Diffraction Unit and ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) Unit. Participants thoroughly conducted laboratory based analysis for physico-chemical properties and soil fertility parameters, such as pH, Electrical Conductivity, Soil Organic Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and micronutrients. A special class concentrated on Digital Soil Mapping allowing the interns to explore modern data-driven approaches for soil classification. Interns also visited the Azolla cultivation unit, Vermicomposting unit and Commercial Biofertilizer Production Unit and gained direct knowhow on the practical aspects of organic amendment synthesis and production. Advanced drone technology for precision agriculture was also demonstrated by professionals from M/s Teknoground Pvt. Ltd., Begusarai.. The training also covered the laboratory analysis of soil for microbial properties, enzymatic activity along with important physical properties like soil texture, bulk density, particle density and porosity. Dry chemistry methods and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques implemented for soil analysis also enhanced students' understanding of soil elemental analysis. Throughout the internship, the dedicated faculty members of the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry provided expert guidance and conducted all the practical sessions to the best of their ability. Their mentorship ensured that students received rigorous, application-based knowledge and developed hands-on proficiency with analytical instruments. The programme concluded with a valedictory session, during which the interns were evaluated, shared their feedback and expressing deep satisfaction and gratitude for the opportunity which according to them was enriching and transformative. They were given internship certificates by Dr. Anshuman Kohli, CEO, SABCONs & Chairman, SSAC.

Remarkable achievement of first batch of B. Tech. (Biotechnology) of College of Agricultural Biotechnology, Sabour

We are delighted to share the outstanding achievement of the first-ever batch (2021–22) of B. Tech (Biotechnology) students from the College of Agricultural Biotechnology, Sabour, comprising 26 students, of whom an impressive 77% (20 students) have qualified prestigious national-level postgraduate entrance examinations including IIT-JAM, GATE, GAT-B and CUET-PG. Notably, five students have already secured admission in top Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), reflecting their dedication and the academic strength of CABT, Sabour. Additionally, 15 more students are currently in the counselling process and are expected to gain admission into premier institutions such as IITs, NITs, BHU, and other leading deemed and state universities. These accomplishments underscore the remarkable potential of our pioneering batch and the unwavering commitment of our faculty and institution to nurturing future-ready biotechnologists.

Brainstorming for initiating a second green revolution from Bihar

A high level brainstorming discussion was held under the initiative of the Vice Chancellor, BAU, Sabour, Dr. D R Singh in Sabour. A Second Green Revolution is needed to address the limitations of the first Green Revolution and to adapt to new challenges like climate change and the need for more sustainable agricultural practices. Bringing about a second green revolution would help build upon the successes of the first revolution while focusing on environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, and the needs of small and marginal farmers. 
The house discussed that the newly released varieties need to be popularised and replace the older varieties. Extension and outreach activities should emphasise on more remunerative cultivars such as GI certified varieties. A stakeholder interactive workshop to popularize  Best Practices of Katarni rice was proposed to be organised at the Tilaundha Research farm of the University. Another  idea put forth was of genome editing technologies, particularly the CRISPR-CAS system that presents significant opportunities for ushering in a second Green Revolution. In contrast to the first Green Revolution, which prioritized high-yield crop varieties and chemical inputs, this contemporary strategy focuses on precision breeding to tackle the challenges of the 21st  century.  Another point of view was to account for food loss that represents a significant challenge, particularly when considering its relevance to the second green revolution. Taking initiative towards this issue and as per suggestions a comprehensive review of current methodologies for estimating food loss was thought to be propounded. Additionally, this would call for strengthening of farmer participatory seed production, strengthening urban horticulture, public private partnership in research and development, Product diversification. Highlighting the Importance of location-specific diversity in various regions of Bihar, a strategic plan for climate and zone-specific coverage of the districts in Bihar was proposed. This may also require to identify opportunities for Agro-Tourism in Bihar, particularly in Gaya, Nalanda, and Vaishali for which policy interventions can be expedited alongside the development of a corresponding model. In light of the recent standards concerning food security and income security, the session called for a strong emphasis on Productivity and Soil Health, alongside the compilation of location-specific yield, crop, and district-wise technologies. This may be achieved through a significant number of demonstrations and the cultivation of high-value crops such as dragon fruit and strawberry. Addressing the serious issue of arsenic contamination in rice growing regions of Bihar, Dr. Sareeta Nahakpam was assigned to develop a five-year lab-to-land project, focusing on the mitigation approach, for submission under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) to promote safe and sustainable rice production. Dr. Anupam Das emphasised on developing a solar energy based model of Pressurized Irrigation System. Dr C K Panda highlighted the issue of rice fallow areas which need to be brought under double cropping by encouraging cultivation of crops such as lathyrus, lentil and chickpea. The house also emphasised on promotion of urban horticulture. Concluding the session, Dr. D. R Singh asserted that scientists need to work on increasing the productivity taking care of soil health, compilation of location based technologies with large number of demonstrations resulting in identification of yield gaps in prominent crops of each district in Bihar. He called for greater emphasis on high value crops such as dragon fruit, straw berry, avocado etc. He said that while the first Green Revolution, while successful in boosting food production, relied heavily on specific inputs like high-yielding varieties, fertilizers, and pesticides, which led to environmental problems like soil degradation and water pollution, second green revolution should also bring about income security through innovative missions for start-up grants leading to creation of start up ventures. Grassroom organizations especially women oriented SSGs such as Jeevika need to be brought to forefront in taking forward the cutting edge technologies. He also called for connecting heritage to markets through ITK based start-ups and IPR protection. A cluster approach to promote renewable energy in agriculture was propounded and discussed. He also emphasised on reaping the demographic dividend and stop rural youth migration from Bihar. Reverse migration of skilled labour was proposed through home grown start-ups. Branding of local products such as makhana, Magahi pan and katarni rice based products through various modules could help achieve this.

बीएयू सबौर से “विकसित कृषि संकल्प अभियान” का हुआ शुभारंभ कुलपति डॉ. डी. आर. सिंह ने दिखायी हरी झंडी 

भारतीय कृषि अनुसंधान परिषद (ICAR) द्वारा संचालित "विकसित कृषि संकल्प अभियान" का विधिवत शुभारंभ आज बिहार कृषि विश्वविद्यालय, सबौर से हुआ। इस अवसर पर माननीय कुलपति डॉ. डी. आर. सिंह ने कृषि विज्ञान केंद्र सबौर के नेतृत्व में  वैज्ञानिकों की टीम को हरी झंडी दिखाकर रवाना किया। यह टीम भागलपुर जिले के विभिन्न प्रखंडों एवं गांवों में जाकर किसानों को वैज्ञानिक जानकारी, उन्नत तकनीक और सरकारी योजनाओं की जानकारी प्रदान करेंगी।

कुलपति महोदय द्वारा आज रवाना की गई टीमें गांव: कजरैली (प्रखंड: नाथनगर), गांव: खरवार (प्रखंड: गोरडीह) और गाँव : जगदीशपुर पूर्वी (प्रखंड : बिहपुर) में किसानों के बीच जाकर अभियान की शुरुआत करेंगी।

इस अवसर पर विश्वविद्यालय के सभी अधिष्ठाता, निदेशक, विभागाध्यक्ष, शिक्षकगण सहित कृषि विज्ञान केंद्र के सभी वैज्ञानिक और कर्मियों की गरिमामयी उपस्थिति रही। कार्यक्रम का वातावरण उत्साहपूर्ण और प्रेरणादायी रहा। इस अवसर पर माननीय कुलपति द्वारा अभियान पम्पलेट लगे गुब्बारे को भी मुक्त आकाश में छोड़ा गया।

इस अवसर पर माननीय कुलपति डॉ. डी. आर. सिंह ने कहा कि "आज से शुरु हुआ विकसित कृषि संकल्प अभियान गाँव-गाँव में जाकर शोध को प्रयोगशाला से खेतोँ तक पहुचायेगा और किसानों को वैज्ञानिकों से संवाद स्थापित करेगा।" 
मौके पर उपस्थित केवीके के वरिये वैज्ञानिक और प्रधान डॉ राजेश कुमार ने कहा कि "ICAR के इस कार्यक्रम को केवीके भागलपुर पूर्ण सफल बनाने के लिए अपने सभी वैज्ञानिकों और कर्मियों के साथ पूरी निष्ठा पूर्वक कार्य कर रही है।" 
बिहार कृषि विश्वविद्यालय द्वारा यह अभियान 12 जून 2025 तक राज्य के सभी कृषि विज्ञान केंद्रों (KVKs) के माध्यम से चलाया जाएगा, जिसमें किसान गोष्ठियों, प्रशिक्षणों, प्रदर्शन इकाइयों एवं तकनीकी परामर्श गतिविधियों का आयोजन किया जाएगा।

आज दिनांक २४ मई को नेचर क्लब, बिहार कृषि विश्वविद्यालय के बैनर तले पादप कार्यकी एवं जैव रसायन विभाग के शिक्षक एवं छात्रों द्वारा पौधा रोपण का कार्यक्रम किया गया। कार्यक्रम की अध्यक्षता डॉ अंशुमान कोहली, निदेशक, आई क्यू ए सी, ने की। यह पौधा रोपण मानसून के आगमन के मद्देनजर किया गया, जिसमें पाकड़, गुलमोहर और अफ्रीकी ट्यूलिप के पेड़ विश्वविद्यालय के नए कैम्पस के पीछे बांध पर लगाए गए। कार्यक्रम में विभागाध्यक्ष डॉ  आर डी रंजन, नेचर क्लब के सचिव डॉ अवधेश पाल, उपसचिव डॉ सरीता नहाकपम,  डॉ शशिकांत, डॉ अपूर्वा पाल, डॉ सुदेशना दास, डॉ सुदीप दास, डॉ कुमारी नम्रता एवं विभाग के सभी छात्र छात्राओं ने भाग लिया।

Distribution of clothes with dignity amongst workers of BAU

The university established its cloth bank initiative which was inaugurated by the District Magistrate of Bhagalpur and Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of BAU, Sabour on 8th February, 2025. In continuation of that, staffs and faculties were encouraged to donate good quality clothes to the cloth bank. Many scientists as well as staffs showed their interests in this regard and clothes were collected from them with proper record. 
On 24th of May, the Cloth Bank, under the leadership of Prof. Anshuman Kohli (Chairman of Cloth Bank) a donation program was organized which was chaired by the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, BAU, Sabour. All the Deans, Directors, Librarian, HoDs of different departments along with the whole team of the cloth bank were present in the program. Women casual workers of BAU, Sabour also graced the occasion
At the outset, Dr. Kohli briefed the gathering about the objectives, mandates and goal of the cloth bank of BAU. He emphasized on the importance of donating the good quality clothes to the people who need those. He also stressed on the distribution of the clothes amongst the needy people must be done with dignity. His brief speech was followed by a Bhajan ‘Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye’ which is popular as one of the favourite Bhajan of Mahatma Gandhi.  This was sung by Dr Tarak Nath Goswami who is one of the members of the Cloth Bank initiative of BAU, Sabour. After singing he explained the meaning of the song too. In nutshell the song tries to tell the people ‘Help those who are in misery but never lets pride enter their mind’. After that the distribution of clothes among eleven women casual workers was done by the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of BAU, Sabour. After the distribution Hon’ble Vice Chancellor in his brief address said that the university-based cloth bank is important because it addresses poverty, reduces waste, and promotes social responsibility. By collecting and distributing clothing, these initiatives can provide essential items to students and community members in need, while also encouraging sustainable practices by minimizing textile waste. The program ended with vote of thanks to the chair and a group photography.

खेल विभाग, बिहार; बिहार राज्य खेल प्राधिकरण, पटना एवं जिला प्रशासन, भागलपुर के संयुक्त तत्वावधान में 'खेलो इंडिया यूथ गेम्स, बिहार 2025' का आयोजन 4 मई से 15 मई 2025 तक किया जा रहा है। इस अवसर पर भागलपुर जिला प्रशासन द्वारा बिहार कृषि विश्वविद्यालय, सबौर के माननीय कुलपति डॉ. डी. आर. सिंह को औपचारिक रूप से आमंत्रित किया गया। इस प्रतियोगिता में विभिन्न खेल विधाओं में देशभर के युवा खिलाड़ी अपनी प्रतिभा का प्रदर्शन कर रहे हैं। कुलपति महोदय द्वारा विद्यार्थियों को इस प्रतियोगिता में भाग लेने के लिए प्रेरित किया गया तथा मेडल वितरण भी किया गया। यह आयोजन जिले में खेलों की ऊर्जा, युवाओं की भागीदारी और खेल संस्कृति को नई दिशा देने की दिशा में एक महत्वपूर्ण कदम माना जा रहा है।