Farmers' library: Bihar farmers' views and experiences

Abstract

Modern education emphasizes the effective pedagogy of learning by doing, which can be applied in any subject, including agriculture, an oldest occupation of tilling soil. An outstanding intervention by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Banka under Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour, Bhagalpur, at farmer’s library to help the farmers to implement agricultural innovations in their fields through group discussions and excellent supervision of scientists from KVK Banka and BAU, Sabour. Through use of audio-visual communication tools, a farmers' library located in panchayat bhawan of climate resilient agriculture (CRA) programme adopted village Uprama (Lilatari-Kathachatar) offers a forum for showcasing modern agricultural techniques as well as facilitating learning and experimenting among the farmers. Majority of the farmers in that village and nearby villages meet daily in evening
to talk about agriculture and animal production because farmers have extensive knowledge in these areas. Due to being a progressive farmer and doing farming in a diversified manner, all are interacting to each other and discussing on that particular innovative subject. By implementing a CRA project in that village by KVK Banka, farmers are growing crops using improved agronomic practices for crop production and agricultural machinery such as raised bed planters, laser land levelers, happy seeders,
super seeders, and zero tillage, among others. Both mechanization and management are exposed to emerging trends in the agricultural industry through its sustainable development in agricultural production. India has been at the forefront of increasing agricultural output and ensuring the country's food security since the early Green Revolution, with a greater emphasis on cereal crops and pulses. Landholding sizes gradually shrank and the following two generations were forced to make due on the
share of land inherited from their ancestors in accordance with the laws that applied to them. At the moment, ~70% of population is either directly/indirectly dependent on agriculture. To contribute more to GDP, agriculture has the potential to develop and create a wider range of high-quality products. Securing soil fertility allows farmers to reap benefits of their produce's strong output from field, which encourages them to keep planting new crops.