Sabour/Patna: In a significant boost to Bihar’s efforts in protecting traditional knowledge and fostering rural innovation, the 11th review meeting on the progress of Geographical Indications (G.I.) registration was held at Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour, with the state declared the second-highest in India in terms of registered G.I. users—trailing only Maharashtra.
Chaired by Dr A.K. Singh, Director of Research at BAU, the meeting revealed that Bihar has surpassed its initial milestone of 1,000 G.I. users, reaching a total of 1,247. This growth, attributed to scientific validation, field verification, and adherence to legal eligibility norms, is seen as a testament to the state’s rising profile in intellectual property and rural entrepreneurship.
The university has now set a new target of registering 2,000 G.I. users, aiming to make Bihar the leading state in the country.
So far, 17 producer societies based on G.I. products have been formally registered, providing institutional support in quality assurance, market expansion, and branding. In addition, 13 scientifically vetted G.I. applications have been submitted to the G.I. Registry in Chennai, with another five in the final stages of review. Each submission includes documented geographical origins, historical relevance, economic impact, and scientific analysis.
Addressing the meeting, Dr A.K. Singh called on researchers to identify new potential products with local specificity, unique genetic traits, and clear economic value. “The figure of more than 1,000 registered G.I. users is a triumph of science and teamwork. Now our next goal is to establish the products at national and international level with biochemical profiling, molecular analysis, and value chain integration,” he said.
Dr D.R. Singh, Vice Chancellor of BAU Sabour, underlined the broader significance of G.I. registration. “G.I. is not just a legal tag, it is a symbol of scientific recognition and economic potential of our traditional heritage. BAU is leading the way in farmer-centric innovation and scientific advancement,” he said.
BAU’s G.I. Facilitation Centre is now viewed as a major emerging hub for innovation, offering a model for integrating scientific rigour with grassroots entrepreneurship. With a growing network of local producers, the university is not only accelerating the pace of G.I. registration, but also championing the preservation of traditional knowledge systems and boosting Bihar’s presence on the global stage.
