Bhagalpur: Agricultural scientists, researchers and farmers from across India will gather at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour in Bhagalpur from February 18 to 20 for a national conference focused on sustainable farming, soil health and resource conservation. The event aims to address growing concerns around climate change, declining soil fertility and the need for resilient agricultural systems.
One of the central attractions will be a presentation by progressive farmer Rajaram Tripathi from the Bastar region of Bastar, who left a career in banking to develop a low-cost “natural greenhouse” model. Unlike conventional poly house, the system uses trees as structural support, significantly reducing costs to about Rs 2 lakh per acre. The approach has enabled hundreds of tribal farmers to generate stable, long-term income through sustainable cultivation.
Tripathi’s model promotes the farming of high-value medicinal and commercial crops such as black pepper, safed musli, stevia and turmeric. His experience has demonstrated that environmentally friendly farming practices can also improve farmer incomes. During the conference, he is expected to share field-tested solutions, practical challenges and scalable strategies to help farmers adopt climate-resilient agricultural methods.
The conference will also highlight emerging agricultural technologies, including a live demonstration of drone-based soil sampling by Flightline Aviation Academy. Developed under a joint initiative with the university, the agri-drone system is designed to improve the speed and accuracy of soil analysis while reducing operational costs. Experts say such technologies can help farmers make more informed decisions and improve productivity.
The event, themed “Resilient Soil Health Management with Resource Conservation for Agricultural and Environmental Sustainability (RSHM-2026),” is being organised in collaboration with the Academy of Natural Resource Conservation and Management, Lucknow. It will serve as a platform for scientists, policymakers and farmers to exchange ideas on water conservation, ecological balance and sustainable agriculture.
University officials said the conference would help connect farmers with new scientific innovations and practical farming models. As climate pressures increase and agricultural challenges intensify, such collaborations are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the future of sustainable farming in Bihar and across India.
