27th Extension Education Council Meeting Concludes at BAU Sabour with Focus on Farmers’ Upliftment

Chirag Gupta

Sabour: The 27th Extension Education Council meeting for the upcoming Rabi crop season was successfully organized at Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour. The event saw the participation of senior scientists, college principals, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) heads, subject matter experts, and progressive farmers from across Bihar. A detailed progress report on the various schemes and programs being implemented by 25 KVKs and the colleges under BAU was presented. Additionally, the action plan for the upcoming Rabi crop was outlined during the technical session.

The meeting was presided over by Vice Chancellor Dr. D. R. Singh, with valuable insights provided by Dr. K. D. Kokate, former DDG, Agricultural Extension, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and Dr. V. V. Sadamate, former Advisor, Agricultural Planning Commission. Progressive farmers such as Anand Murari from Patna, Binita Kumar from Nalanda, Bandana Kumari from Banka, and Prabhat Kumar shared their experiences, enriching the discussions.

In his address, Vice Chancellor Dr. Singh emphasized the need for research and training aligned with market demands. He urged KVKs to adapt cropping patterns in response to climate change and highlighted BAU’s commitment to sustainable development, stating that the university is working on all sixteen Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. Dr. Singh also called for the swift resolution of issues facing KVKs and announced that BAU would soon focus on waste management initiatives in line with the “Waste to Wealth” vision.

Former DDG Dr. Kokate spoke on the importance of agricultural extension education and the need for villages to become self-reliant for national progress. Dr. Sadamate lauded BAU’s extension model, recommending its presentation on international platforms. He emphasized the critical role of agricultural extension in the development of the farming sector.

During the event, KVK Sabour, led by Dr. Rajesh Kumar, was recognized for generating one crore rupees in a revolving account and registering the maximum number of farmers—four and a half lakh—on the Kisan Sarathi portal. KVK Patna was also honored for its financial achievements, and KVK Banka and KVK Patna were recognized for registering one to two lakh farmers on the same platform. A book compiling success stories of trained farmers and publications from KVKs was also released during the program.