Small but steady steps for a Green Revolution in Bihar

It is not the state government alone that can usher in prosperity and development within the state. Once the government has laid the foundation of a better administration and sense of security, many people can contribute in the state's growth. And some of the steps taken by farmers signal signs of a green revolution that could come to Bihar. With Bihar being  predominantly an agricultural economy , it would be good to have a fresh green revolution in Bihar.

Some of the recent achievements in the agricultural space that I have come across and  which will make many people happy are

1. Sumant Kumar of Nalanda district created a new world record in paddy cultivation  . He had a bumper yield of 224 quintal per hectare which was enough to break the world record set by a Chinese farm scientist Yuan Longping. Sumant's four other friends , Krishna Kumar, Nitish Kumar, Ramanand Singh and Sanjay Kumar also had extraordinary produce. They used an unconventional way of paddy plantation called "System of Rice Intensification (SRI)"
2. Jyoti Manjhi from Gaya had first popularised this technique of SRI in Bihar by cultivating paddy on barren land.
3. Manoj Kumar of Muzaffarpur motivated farmers in and around his village Mustafaganj to embrace organic farming and use vermi-compost on a large scale. 
4. Villagers in Mustafaganj also have started planting 10 saplings of Semel (silk cotton trees) to meet the expenses of the wedding of their daughters in future.
5. Similarly in Dharhara village of Bhagalpur, villagers have for long, been planting fruit trees on the birth of every girl.
6. Sudhanshu Kumar from Samastipur was awarded the "Best Mango Grower Award" last year
7. Samriddhii - that aims to redesign the Vegetable supply chain in Bihar specially for the marginalized vegetable and fruit grower farmers of Bihar

For an all round development of Bihar, we need progress in all areas and agriculture is one area that will have the impact on majority of the people. Thus the above achievements definitely are something that will make all of us proud.

Sources for the above data

India Today article - Grassroots Heroes Lead Bihar's Rural Revolution

Times of India article - Bihar farmer gets Best Mango Grower award

IIM Indore article - Samriddhii - Redesigning the Vegetable Supply Chain in Bihar

Prashant

www.progressivebihar.com