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Endowment of fertile Gangetic alluvial soil and abundant water resources, particularly groundwater resources altogether constitute core components for development of agriculture in Bihar. Efforts have been made in this paper to analyze factors responsible for changes in land use pattern, especially increase in current fallows, shrinking net sown area and shifting of land for non-agricultural purposes in the state. A larger concentration of current fallow lands was accounted for in Gaya, Patna, Purnea, Munger, Jehanabad and Kishanganj districts. The rainfall and road length have significant impact on the level of current fallows. Erratic monsoon and labour scarcity during the study period of present century resulted in accumulation of current fallow lands. It was further observed that the non-agricultural use of land was identified as the dominant factor for changes in common lands as it affected the current fallows negatively. It is a challenging task for policy makers to maximize the income of farmers from a continuously declining in net sown area, deteriorating climatic conditions as well as labour scarce conditions, thereby resulting in aggregation of current fallows. In order to boost the production and enhance farmer's income, it is necessary to discourage the rising tendency in current fallows or to bring current fallows under cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pigeonpea grown as sole crop is not economically viable because of its slow initial growth rate, low productivity and longer duration. The initial slow growth rate, widely spaced, deep root system and longer duration of pigeonpea offers a good scope for intercropping with fast growing and early maturing compatible crops. Proper row arrangement of main as well as intercrops in appropriate proportion is the promising way to exploit the natural resources such as space, nutrient, sunlight, soil moisture to greater extent and boost up the system productivity. Methods: The study was carried out for four consecutive years during kharif 2013-14 to 2016-17 at Tirhut College of Agriculture, Dholi, RPCAU, Pusa, Bihar. The treatment comprised 3 intercropping systems with two method of planting viz, pigeonpea (60 cm)+ urdbean (1:1), pigeonpea (60 cm) + sesame (1:1), pigeonpea (60 cm) + sorghum (1:1), pigeonpea paired (45 cm) + urdbean (2:2), pigeonpea paired (45 cm) + sesame (2:2), pigeonpea paired (45 cm) + sorghum (2:2) and 3 fertilizer levels of intercrop viz, 75% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), 100% RDF and 125% RDF along with sole crop of pigeonpea, urdbean, sesame and sorghum. Result: Intercropping of urd bean [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper], sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] paired row planting of pigeonpea (45 cm) in 2:2 row ratio recorded significantly higher pigeonpea-equivalent yield, LER, water-use efficiency, production efficiency and net return than their intercropping with pigeonpea in normal planting pattern (60 cm) in 1:1 row ratio and sole pigeonpea. However, only pigeonpea + urdbean and pigeonpea + sesame in paired row planting recorded significantly higher B:C ratio than sole pigeonpea. Pigeonpea + urdbean in paired row planting recorded significantly higher pigeonpea equivalent yield (3.57 t/ha), LER (1.81), water-use efficiency (4.96 kg ha/mm), production efficiency (12.01 kg/ha/day), NPK-uptake by pigeonpea, net return (148.63 × 10³/ha) and B:C ratio (4.84) than their intercropping in normal planting pattern, pigeonpea + sesame and pigeonpea + sorghum in both planting pattern. Pigeonpea + urdbean and pigeonpea + sesame in paired row recorded significantly higher number and dry weight of nodules/plant than sole pigeonpea. Pigeonpea equivalent yield in pigeonpea + urdbean intercropping system did not increased significantly with increasing levels of fertilizer. However, it increased significantly upto RDF and 125% RDF of sesame and sorghum in pigeonpea + sesame and pigeonpea + sorghum intercropping systems respectively in both the planting pattern. Pigeonpea + urdbean in both the planting pattern reduced bulk density of the soil and increased organic carbon, available N, P, K content of the soil than other intercropping systems and initial soil value but magnitude of improvement in physicochemical properties of soil was higher in paired row planting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is the largest source of livelihood for 58% of India’s population. A self-reliant primary sector is a pre-requisite to promote economic development. However despite this fact and the reality of two-thirds of people in India who lives in poverty (68.8% of the Indian population lives on less than $2 a day: World Bank); few attempts have been implemented to reach the desired level of agricultural growth. Having said so it is pertinent to align the same goals as laid down as a roadmap to attain the Second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-2) i.e. ‘Zero Hunger’ and ‘Higher Agricultural Productivity’ by 2030. Stating the brooding fate of a COVID lead silent food crisis that will put the majority of Indian poor at risk, especially the ones in extreme poverty; undivided attention must be provided to the food front; putting food security as a matter of utmost priority. There by a technological upgrade is an asset that holds the potential to turn Indian agricultural scenario and pull up the face of food security in India. The objective of this dissertation is to emphasize the importance of technology as a driving force to move the agricultural sector along a more sustainable path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foxnut (Euryale ferox) is considered an aquatic cash crop in India. It is one of the important states of India for the production of makhana. It is cultivated in several districts in North Bihar, where it is the main support for the livelihood of the poor people. Foxnut is mainly cultivated and processed by the fishing community. Studies on women in makhana production conducted in India and other countries concluded that women contribute far more to the production and processing. The involvements of women in growing foxnuts are impoverished and backward. Women with whole family members are occupied for generations and have acquired unique skills in processing which determines the quality of Makhana pop. Women also perform numerous labor-intensive activities such as weeding, collections, cleaning, drying, gradation, roasting, frying, popping, rubbing, storage and transportation. They also engaged in trading of guris and makhana pop and wages laborers for support in family income and livelihood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several NGOs are active in Bhagalpur district of Bihar for the cause of empowerment of women. The strategy adopted by these NGOs to achieve their objective was investigated. The data were collected from the personnel of 10 purposively selected NGOs with the help of a structured interview schedule. The findings revealed that although the personnel had rich experience about the localities, an operational area for taking up the work was generally decided on the basis of the results of the survey (80%) conducted for the purpose and the beneficiaries were selected mostly after an interview (70%). Similarly programmes were decided on the basis of assessment of need and interest of the women folk. The voluntary organizations worked with the women by forming their Self Help Groups. The 80% of NGOs adopted participatory approaches to empower the women. Motivation was the main approach of the NGOs to enlist and involve the women to participate in the programmes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]