Patna: The ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI), Zone-IV, Patna, marked its 11th Foundation Day with calls for stronger links between agricultural research, extension services and farmers across Bihar and Jharkhand.
Dr P S Pandey, vice-chancellor of Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, was the chief guest at the programme held at the institute’s premises. Senior scientists and directors from several ICAR institutes and agricultural universities attended the event, while directors of all 10 ATARIs, extension education directors from universities in Bihar and Jharkhand and scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) joined online.
Welcoming the participants, Dr Ranjay Kumar Singh, director of ICAR-ATARI Patna, highlighted the contribution of KVKs in Bihar and Jharkhand. He called for stronger technology dissemination, market linkages and farmer-focused agricultural extension to improve the impact of KVK interventions.
Push for value addition and agri-entrepreneurship
Pandey said KVKs needed to expand their role in value addition, market-oriented agriculture, artificial intelligence, digitisation, feedback mechanisms, business models and agricultural entrepreneurship.
He also stressed the need to assess and document the impact of KVK interventions to improve technology transfer and coordination with state agricultural programmes.
Dr R R Barman, assistant director general for agricultural extension at ICAR, New Delhi, emphasised technology transfer and adoption alongside market-oriented extension as tools to improve farmers’ incomes.
Focus on litchi and integrated farming
Dr Bikash Das, director of ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Muzaffarpur, highlighted the scope for expanding litchi cultivation in Bihar and called for improved production technologies to reach farmers promptly.
He suggested that KVKs establish 10-12 litchi plants at their respective farms to assess the crop’s suitability and potential across different districts.
Dr Anup Das, director of ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna, advocated integrated farming systems combining crops with livestock, horticulture, fisheries and other allied activities to strengthen the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers.
Dr Nirmal Singh Dahiya, director of extension education at Bihar Animal Sciences University, called for greater emphasis on livestock-based activities through KVKs and offered technical support from the university.
Scientists call for climate-resilient agriculture
Dr Sujay Rakshit, director of ICAR-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Ranchi, called for stronger collaboration between KVKs, ICAR institutes and agricultural universities to make farming in Bihar and Jharkhand more profitable, sustainable and climate-resilient.
He stressed the importance of providing farmers with timely and accurate information to help them respond to emerging climate-related challenges.
Annual report and Hindi magazine released
The institute’s ICAR-ATARI Patna Annual Report 2025 was released during the programme. It documents activities, achievements and initiatives of the institute and the KVK network under its jurisdiction.
The Hindi magazine Purvi Kiran was also released, featuring agricultural technologies, extension initiatives, field experiences and success stories relevant to farmers and rural communities in eastern India.
The programme was attended by scientists and staff members of ICAR-ATARI Patna, including Dr Monbarullah, Dr Amarendra Kumar, Dr D V Singh, Dr Pragya Bhadauria and Dr Tejaswini Kapil.
The celebration concluded with a commitment to strengthening research-extension-farmer linkages, expanding technology-led agricultural development and improving the reach and impact of agricultural innovations among farming communities in Bihar and Jharkhand.
