Sabour: A crop cafeteria set up at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Sabour, Bhagalpur, has become a centre of attraction for farmers, showcasing new wheat and linseed varieties developed by Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour. The initiative follows an order directing all Krishi Vigyan Kendras to promote these varieties through crop cafeterias, allowing farmers to observe and assess them firsthand.
The Sabour crop cafeteria features 12 wheat varieties and four linseed varieties, most of which have been developed by BAU. Among them are five officially released wheat varieties—Sabour Samridhi, Sabour Shrestha, Sabour Nirjal, HD-2967, and DBW-187—and four linseed varieties—Sabour Linseed-1, Sabour Linseed-2, Sabour Linseed-3, and Sabour Linseed-4. Additionally, seven pipeline wheat varieties currently in the research and development phase are on display: BRW-3922, BRW-3964, BRW-3959, HI-1563, BRW-3967, BRW-3923, and BRW-3954.
Dr Rajesh Kumar, senior scientist and head of KVK, Sabour, highlighted the importance of these new varieties in enhancing agricultural productivity and increasing farmers’ incomes. “The crop cafeteria aims to educate farmers on modern farming techniques, help them select suitable varieties, and encourage scientific agriculture,” he said. “These varieties have been developed for high yield, disease resistance, and low water requirements. Through this initiative, we are introducing farmers to crops that could prove revolutionary for the agricultural sector in the future.”
Farmers showed keen interest in the five released wheat and four linseed varieties, which are already in production, while also exploring the seven pipeline wheat varieties expected to be available soon. These varieties are designed to be climate-resilient and capable of delivering high-quality yields.
E Pankaj Kumar, a scientist at KVK, also provided farmers with insights into the benefits of these new wheat and linseed varieties, their cultivation techniques, and marketing strategies. The diverse range of crops displayed at the cafeteria encouraged farmers to adopt modern agricultural methods, potentially transforming wheat and linseed farming in the region.
