Patna: The XXII Research Advisory Committee (RAC) meeting of the ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region (ICAR-RCER) was held in Patna on July 23–24, with experts emphasising the need to improve land and water productivity through climate-smart and resource-efficient farming practices across Eastern India.
The two-day meeting, chaired by Dr A.K. Singh, former Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management), ICAR, New Delhi, reviewed the institute’s research achievements and provided strategic recommendations to strengthen agricultural research, technology dissemination and farmer-centric innovation.
Focus on Climate-Smart Agriculture
Addressing the meeting, Dr Singh stressed the importance of improving land and water productivity, particularly for small and marginal farmers in Bihar and Jharkhand. He called for greater emphasis on efficient water and nutrient use and the adoption of sustainable farming practices to improve agricultural resilience and productivity.
Dr Rakesh Kumar, Assistant Director General (Agronomy, Agroforestry, Forestry and Climate Change), ICAR, said future research should align closely with national priorities. He highlighted the need to develop climate-smart villages, rehabilitate coal mine-affected areas and design technologies suited to the needs of smallholder farmers.
Institute Highlights Research Achievements
Welcoming the participants, Dr Anup Das, Director of ICAR-RCER, presented an overview of the institute’s research programmes, major achievements and future priorities.
He said the institute remained committed to both high-quality agricultural research and the effective transfer of proven technologies to farmers through extension services and capacity-building initiatives.
Dr Das highlighted Rice Fallow Management as one of the institute’s flagship programmes, stating that resource conservation technologies and improved rice, pulse and oilseed varieties had contributed to reducing nearly 1.5 million hectares of rice fallow land across Eastern India over the past decade.
The Action Taken Report on recommendations made during the previous RAC meeting was presented by Dr P.C. Chandran, Principal Scientist and Member Secretary of the RAC.
Research Priorities and Recommendations
The committee recommended strengthening research in sustainable rice fallow intensification, Integrated Farming Systems, water-smart farming, climate-resilient agriculture, livestock and fisheries, resource-efficient horticulture, processing and value addition, and evidence-based policy support.
Members also stressed the importance of systematic impact assessment of research programmes and encouraged greater interdisciplinary and collaborative research to expand the institute’s reach across Eastern India.
Expressing satisfaction with ICAR-RCER’s progress over the past 25 years, the committee recommended increased focus on enhancing land and water productivity, promoting climate-smart farming, improving quality seed and planting material production, including fish and livestock, through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models, strengthening technology transfer and developing value chains for key agricultural commodities.
Field Visits, Tree Plantation and Collaboration
During the programme, RAC members participated in rice transplanting alongside institute scientists and visited experimental research facilities and laboratories to review ongoing research activities.
The delegation also took part in a tree plantation drive, planting fruit trees including mango and guava. An exhibition showcasing the institute’s technologies and products was organised during the visit.
The event also saw the release of four publications and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gbiome Private Limited for the scientific management of agricultural waste through microbial inoculation.
Technical Sessions and Participation
Technical sessions featured presentations by heads of divisions and representatives from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in Buxar and Ramgarh, covering research achievements, extension activities and future strategies in crop improvement, farming systems, land and water management, livestock, fisheries and agricultural socio-economics.
The meeting was attended by RAC members including Dr C.L. Acharya, Dr A.S. Panwar, Dr Mahesh Gathala, Dr Ranjit Kumar, Dr K.K. Baruah, Dr Rakesh Kumar, Dr Anup Das, scientists of the institute and representatives from the KVKs.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr Kamal Sarma, Head of the Division of Livestock and Fishery Management, ICAR-RCER, according to Umesh Kumar Mishra, Member Secretary (Media), ICAR-RCER.
