A project entitled “ “Sustainable Livelihood Improvement through Need Based Integrated Farming System Models in Disadvantaged Districts of Bihar” awarded to ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna under Component 3 of NAIP was launched on 01.04.2008 at ICAR-RCER, Patna, Bihar. The project is being implemented by a Consortium of 7 partners with ICAR-RCER as lead centre. The objectives are

• Participatory development, demonstration & validation of location specific Integrated Farming System Models for Livelihood Improvement.
• Empowering resource poor farming community for enabling sustainable livelihood security.
• Building partnerships and linkages for livelihood improvement & Up-scaling

The major interventions included in the project are enhancing access to groundwater for poor and marginal farmers, fisheries enhancement through fish culture in pens and cages in chaur lands, Multiple uses of water (in tube- well irrigated low- productive system & in water congested/flooded lowlands), animal based integrated farming system in watershed, Sugarcane-Fish based farming system in shallow chaurs, introduction of Makhana + Fish System in flood-prone ecosystem, introduction of mushroom production, promotion of bee keeping and vermi-composting and providing value-chain to the farmers. For further details you may like to contact Dr. P.K. Thakur, Consortium Principal Investigator ( dr_thakur05@yahoo.com)