ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region (ICAR-RCER), Patna, hosted a State-Level Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on “Transforming Food, Land, and Water Systems to Combat the Climate Crisis”, bringing together agricultural scientists, senior government officials, development agencies, and farmers to chart a roadmap for sustainable land and water management in Bihar.
The Chief Guest, Dr. B. Rajender, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar, in his inaugural address, underscored the need for coordinated action to strengthen resilience in Bihar’s food, land, and water systems in line with Vision 2047. Stressing crop- and sector-specific planning with special emphasis on millets, he urged central and state departments to work in a “silo-free mode” for maximum impact. “Bihar’s agricultural future depends on how effectively we integrate our efforts across sectors. From millet promotion to water-smart farming, every department must work as one team if we are to achieve our Vision 2047 goals,” he said.
Guest of Honour Bharat Jyoti, IFS (Retd.), Chairman of the Bihar State Biodiversity Board, called for a holistic approach rooted in biodiversity conservation, pocket-wise land pooling, blending of local and hybrid crop varieties, and integrating traditional wisdom with modern innovations.
In his welcome address, Dr. Anup Das, Director of ICAR-RCER, emphasized the urgency of adopting integrated, science-led strategies to tackle Bihar’s escalating climate challenges. He reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to collaborative action among scientists, policymakers, and farmers to transform food, land, and water systems for long-term resilience and sustainable growth. “Our focus must be on uniting knowledge with action so that every scientific innovation reaches the field and benefits farmers, ensuring food security and environmental sustainability for generations to come,” Dr. Das remarked.
Eminent experts presented technical sessions on building climate-resilient agriculture in Bihar. Dr. R.K. Jat, Senior Cropping System Agronomist at the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), Samastipur, advocated raised-bed planting, laser land levelling, and resource conservation practices for efficiency and resilience. Dr. Anjani Kumar, Director of ATARI Patna, stressed the need for convergence of extension departments, farmer-to-farmer interaction, and stronger capacity-building initiatives.
Highlighting erratic rainfall threats to rainfed upland rice and the shrinking thermal window for wheat in northeast Bihar, Dr. S.S. Singh, Dean, Narayan Institute of Agricultural Sciences, suggested targeted best practices for adaptation. Dr. Bikas Das, Director of NRC Litchi, Muzaffarpur, showcased orchard-based adaptation measures like fruit bagging, canopy management, and sprinkler irrigation.
Dr. D.P. Tripathi, Director of BAMETI, outlined government interventions under the Climate Resilient Agriculture Programme, focusing on pulses, oilseeds, and the release of climate-resilient crop varieties. Emphasizing natural resource conservation, Dr. S.K. Purbey, Director of MGIFRI, Motihari, highlighted the importance of wetland management in sustaining productivity under changing climatic conditions.
The event also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ICAR-RCER and the Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI), along with the release of the institute’s newsletter. Progressive farmers actively participated, sharing practical feedback and field-level experiences that enriched the deliberations.
Five thematic breakout sessions were held: Climate-Smart Food–Nutrition System Transformation; Watershed-Based Resilience and Integrated Natural Resource Management; Carbon Farming and Climate Financing for Smallholders; Food–Land–Water Nexus and Integrated Planning Tools; and Frontier Technologies for Climate-Resilient Food–Land–Water Systems. Each multidisciplinary team discussed challenges, identified strategies, and proposed future action plans. The plenary session was chaired by Dr. Anup Das and co-chaired by Dr. S.K. Purbey, with summary outcomes presented by Dr. Ashutosh Upadhyaya, Head, DLWM, ICAR-RCER.
The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. P.C. Chandran, Principal Scientist, DLFM, ICAR-RCER, followed by a field visit to the research facilities, where participants witnessed ongoing climate-resilient agricultural innovations.
