Latest news with #RajendraPrasadCentralAgriculturalUniversity


Mint
14-06-2025
- General
- Mint
How safe is the food on your plate?
Climate Change & You is a fortnightly newsletter written by Bibek Bhattacharya and Sayantan Bera. Subscribe to Mint's newsletters to get them directly in your inbox. Dear Reader, Last month I travelled to north Bihar to take a closer look at two of India's most loved summer fruits, litchi and mango. The Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University at Pusa, Samastipur, was holding a national seminar on litchi and litchi honey that turned out to be an eye opener. Scientists were honest to admit that despite the heritage and pride associated with the famous rose-floral scented Shahi litchi of Bihar, the orchards are in a state of despair. Unwilling to bear climate and market risks, owners and absentee landlords are selling their harvest months in advance to contractors. The contractors use a cocktail of chemicals to manage pests and maximize yields without caring for the overall wellbeing of orchards. Some insecticides are fatal for pollinators like bees, and excess use is hurting fruit yields and honey production. Most litchis won't pass pesticide residue standards for export to western markets. Farmers of Bihar, in good years, sell litchis for the price of potatoes-- it's a tragedy. Meanwhile, the urban consumer is paying a hefty price to buy the fruit, unaware of the toxic chemical residues they may be ingesting. The story is not very different for mangoes -- one can no longer be sure that the fruits are naturally ripened and residue-free. Worryingly, many Indian consumers are unaware of pesticide residue levels in primary agricultural produce, be it grains, pulses, fruits or vegetables. During my travels, I have met farmers who grow vegetables for their own kitchen without using chemical inputs -- for crops like okra and brinjal -- in separate, smaller plots. Many would not consume the other produce they themselves grow to sell in the market. Those who are part of the farm supply chain know of high pesticide residues in fresh produce -- made worse by a warmer climate leading to higher pest infestation. But all this is carefully kept under the wraps. We only seem to take notice when exports are red-flagged in developed markets. This has happened repeatedly, across products like rice, tea and spices. State of the Climate Late last month, several Indian cities went under water following extreme rains. The list includes Mumbai, Bengaluru and Guwahati. Over forty died following floods in the North-east. Experts blamed abnormally high sea surface temperature and a depression over the Bay of Bengal. Compared with the 50-year-average, the month of May witnessed 106% more rainfall this year for the entire country. The June-September annual monsoon arrived early this year and by 10 June, had seen a deficit of 33%. Right after this deluge, the focus shifted to the dreaded summer heat. Parts of central and northern India are now in the grip of a heatwave spanning Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and the Jammu region. Residents of the national capital region usually flock to the hill states to escape the heat. But Himachal Pradesh, too, is in the grip of a severe heatwave with maximum temperatures crossing 42 degree Celsius in Una and 35 degrees in the popular tourist destination of Dharamshala on 10 June. Parts of the adjoining hill state of Uttarakhand are also witnessing high temperatures with Dehradun, the state capital, recording a maximum temperature of 39 degrees on Monday. The news in brief Climate Change Tracker Widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers, light and chemical pollution, loss of habitat and the growth of industrial agriculture have led to a drastic fall in insect population. Scientists are now witnessing a new phenomenon: a catastrophic collapse of insect populations in protected areas like forests. Global warming seems to be the culprit. David Wagner, an entomologist who spent his life documenting insect diversity, recently returned home empty-handed. 'I just got back from Texas, and it was the most unsuccessful trip I've ever taken… there just wasn't any insect life to speak of." And it was not only the insects which were missing. 'Everything was crispy, fried; the lizard numbers were down to the lowest numbers I can ever remember. And then the things that eat lizards were not present – I didn't see a single snake the entire time." Know Your Jargon Fast Fashion Fast fashion can be described as quickly produced and cheaply priced garments which copy the latest styles. The products are hurriedly pushed into stores to encash on current trends. The target is to shorten the lead time of a product, from design to purchase. The term 'fast fashion' was coined in the 1990s to describe Zara's rapid production system which was later adopted by other brands. The fast fashion industry has a huge environment footprint— because it uses copious amounts of water besides polluting rivers and seas. When consumers dump clothes after wearing them a few times, it adds to the waste load. The fashion choices of Gen Z in India, a 300 million consumer cohort, are not very planet-friendly. Because for every Greta Thunberg, thousands are chasing trends by stuffing their wardrobes with fast fashion. Prime Number 14 US-based businesses have cancelled or delayed over $14 billion in investments and 10,000 new jobs in clean energy and clean vehicle factories since January, as per an assessment by E2, a coalition of business leaders and investors. This was due to rising fears around the future of federal clean energy policy and tax credits. As per E2, in April alone, businesses cancelled $4.5 billion of investments in new battery, electric vehicle and wind projects ahead of the US House's passage of a massive tax and spending package -- dubbed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act.' Movie of the Month Gints Zilbalodis' 'Flow" is an Oscar-winning eco-fable about a lone cat navigating a post-apocalyptic world. Made with a tiny team and free software, this Latvian animation shines. A silent film, it resists anthropomorphism: the animals do not speak in human tongue. The works draws emotional depth from a cat who journeys in a weathered sailboat with an unlikely crew -- a lemur, a capybara, a Labrador and a bird. 'Flow" explores climate collapse, cooperation, and resilience, reminding us that nature, not humans, may have the final word. That's all, for now. Bibek will be back with the next issue, in a fortnight.


Time of India
12-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
‘Teachers should work hard to make India a developed nation'
Patna: Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU)'s vice-chancellor (VC) P S Pandey on Thursday called upon the teachers to prioritise the nation's interests and strive hard to make India a global leader. Welcoming all the 80 newly appointed faculty members of the university after a monthlong faculty development programme, the VC expressed confidence that their joining would bring rapid progress in the university's work efficiency. He highlighted the significance of the faculty development programme in making the new teachers proficient in teaching, research, financial and administrative matters. Speaking as the special guest at the function, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University's former VC Arvind Kumar appreciated that for the first time, a faculty development programme has been organised in the university to equip new teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge. He emphasised the importance of discipline and honesty in life and encouraged the teachers to work hard towards making India a developed nation by 2047. RPCAU's former VC H P Singh appreciated the diversity of the new teachers, representing 22 states of the country. He suggested that similar programmes should be organised for existing teachers to enhance their skills. The programme included sessions on work-life balance, communication skills and other soft skills. More than 100 renowned professors from India and abroad interacted with the new teachers and motivated them. Follow more information on deadly Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Stay informed with real-time updates on rescue operations and check the full list of passengers onboard AI 171 that crashed in Ahmedabad.


Hans India
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Bihar: Team of over 700 scientists to reach out to farmers under 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan'
Patna: Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' (Developed Agriculture Resolution Campaign), scientists and experts have embarked on a mission to impress upon the villagers about changing patterns in agriculture and also about the need to bring reforms in the sector. In Bihar's Samastipur, a team of 720 scientists have been formed by Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, which, along with 1756 agricultural officers, has visited 993 villages so far. The team of scientists reached out to 96,475 farmers, listened to their problems and also told them the 'solutions'. Speaking at a recent event, PM Modi had said, 'The monsoon is approaching, preparations for the Kharif season are underway, and during the next 12 to 15 days, over 2,000 teams comprising scientists, experts, officials, and progressive farmers will be visiting villages across the country. These teams will reach out to millions of farmers in more than 700 districts.' 'In today's rapidly changing times, there is a need to bring comprehensive reforms to Indian agriculture. Our farmers have filled food reserves by producing record yields. However, markets are evolving, and consumer preferences are changing. Therefore, this is a humble effort to bring about changes in the agricultural system by working together with farmers and state governments. The goal is to modernise Indian agriculture, and for that, this campaign aims to initiate direct discussions with farmers,' he added. The campaign, led by Dr PS Pandey, Vice Chancellor of Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, is set to run till June 12. The Vice Chancellor said that for a prosperous country, farmers have to be prosperous, and in view of this, Sankalp Abhiyan has been started by the Prime Minister. Under the campaign, teams of agricultural scientists are visiting different villages and directly communicating with farmers, listening to their problems and also suggesting solutions. He said that 174 teams have been formed in Bihar and Jharkhand, which will reach out and communicate with close to 1 lakh, while 130 teams are working in Bihar, which have to reach out to 6,45,000 farmers. He informed that 38 teams have been formed by Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, through 16 agricultural science centres in 13 districts, whose target is to communicate with 1,90,000 farmers.


Time of India
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Union min launches agri campaign to boost farmers' welfare
Patna: Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare Ram Nath Thakur on Thursday said the govt under PM Narendra Modi was committed to the all-round development of agriculture and improving farmers' socio-economic conditions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Launching the Centre's flagship 'developed agriculture resolution campaign' (DARC) at Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU), Pusa (Samastipur), Thakur said the Centre has recently increased the minimum support price (MSP) for several crops, greatly benefiting farmers. "The latest initiative of DARC will also immensely benefit the farmers," he added. Thakur said the campaign would leverage scientific expertise and government support to address agricultural challenges and boost productivity. "By engaging with a vast number of farmers and providing solutions to their problems, the campaign aims to make a lasting impact on the agricultural sector," he said. He praised the university's scientists for increasing agricultural output and securing over a dozen patents in two years under vice-chancellor P S Pandey. He also lauded the university's nationally recognised Litchi Show. RPCAU vice-chancellor P S Pandey said DARC would benefit over 1.5 crore farmers. "A total of 174 teams of 5–6 scientists each have been formed in Bihar and Jharkhand," he said. Director of extension education Mayank Rai added that 38 university teams would visit at least three villages daily for 15 days. "Across Bihar, 130 teams will engage with over 6.5 lakh farmers," he said. DARC nodal officer Ratnesh Jha urged farmers to share their concerns, which will be uploaded and monitored by the university and govts.


Time of India
26-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Digestive daredevilry: Scientist savours 23 litchis in 3 minutes
Patna: In a spectacle that could only be described as fruity madness or digestive daredevilry, Shaista Tabassum, an agricultural scientist at Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University in Pusa, Samastipur, shocked everyone by downing 23 litchis in just 3 minutes. The occasion? The university's Litchi Mahotsav, a serious (but also seriously juicy) affair aimed at promoting Bihar's famed litchi production. But the highlight was not a groundbreaking climate-resilient farming solution. No, it was the "Litchi Khao, Inam Pao" (Eat Litchi, Win Rewards) contest, essentially an excuse to stuff one's face in the name of agricultural advancement. "The litchis were sweet, the stopwatch was cruel," said Tabassum, still blinking in post-sugar haze. "By the 18th litchi, I could not tell if I was chewing fruit or my own ambition. But science demanded sacrifice," Tabassum added. Vice-chancellor P S Pandey, who observed the event with a mix of pride and mild disbelief, said, "We are combining litchi with honey, lemon, gooseberry, basically anything within arm's reach, to make it marketable year-round. Soon you will find litchi in everything but your shampoo." The event, attended by students, scientists, and an increasingly worried registrar, also discussed long-term litchi storage. But let's be honest – after witnessing someone inhale nearly two dozen litchis in 180 seconds, who is thinking about storage?