About Research

Bihar is the 12th largest state in India in terms of geographical area and is the second most populous state (10.38 Crores) in the country. The population density of the state is 880/ sq km compared to 340/ sq Km in India. It is an agrarian state and agriculture is the vital source of livelihood for nearly 76 percent of its population. The share of agriculture in state domestic product is approximately 42 per cent. About 88 per cent of the farmers in Bihar are small and marginal and own nearly 92.5 per cent of land holdings. Gifted with rich natural resources, varied climate and rich human resources, the state is one of the fastest developing states in the country today.

Despite being abundant in terms of resources, Bihar grapples with the problem of poverty. Characterized by food insecurity, weak infrastructure, droughts and floods, high climatic variability, land degradation and widespread poverty, one-seventh of India’s below-the-poverty-line (BPL) people live in Bihar. The inter-relationships between these challenges have created a “Poverty Trap” in the state.

Being heavily dependent on agriculture, poor crop yield due to limited use of external inputs, marginal land holdings size, lack of awareness and technical inputs along with several other factors have led to unsustainable agricultural practices and degradation of the natural resources in the state. Rising levels of unemployment, limited ex-farm livelihood opportunities, and rapid population growth have also increased migration of human resource to another states.

Superimposed on these challenges are the impact of urbanization and boom in other sectors of the Indian economy. In this background it is critical to emphasize the importance of economic development of the state’s rural community particularly the small and marginal landholders. Rural communities in the state need should be supported through agricultural research and reforms that enable them to add value to their products and move from subsistence to market oriented production of agricultural products.

There is an urgent need to develop not only technical options, but also policy and institutional options that improve livelihoods and increase food security.This in turn will contribute to sustainable development of the entire state economy.

Vision

Now days, challenges of global warming, food security, nutritional security, sustainable development, degradation of natural resources and low profitability to small and marginal farmers demand attention towards global economy. Therefore, the research vision of University has been targeted towards:

• Generating technologies to provide food and nutrition security by using crop improvement and genetic engineering for high productivity and quality traits; conservation and development of bio-diversity
• Conservation and optimal utilization of natural resources with focus on soil health, input use efficiency, production technique to mitigate climate change, cropping and farming system development under resource constraints focusing on water resource management, organic pest and disease management, crop modeling, use of remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS)
• Postharvest process and value addition of crops, fruit and vegetables to minimize losses and enhance commercialization of products through appropriate packaging, handling and storage techniques.
• Enhancing profitability of small land holders through appropriate techniques, farming system and processes, service and commercialization of agriculture by involving entrepreneurs, minimizing of market chain and emphasis on patent, IPR management, International trade and exports.
• Developed ICT based extension and communication networks for farmers and extension personnel and for knowledge based agricultural development.

Mission

To contribute to the improvement of livelihoods of the rural and urban communities in Bihar by enhancing food and nutritional security and improving livelihoods through research to achieve sustainable increases in agricultural productivity and income, while ensuring the efficient and judicious use of natural resources, exploit National and Export markets, establish effective linkage with Banks and commercial establishment.