Digital initiatives in horticulture for eastern India

Abstract

The eastern states of India are rich in horticultural diversity, with prominent fruit crops including mango, litchi, banana, guava, pineapple, bael, and papaya. Significant vegetables like potato, onion, cauliflower, cabbage, pointed gourd, sponge gourd, and brinjal are also extensively cultivated. Bihar, notably, is a major supplier of these vegetables, particularly to eastern India, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. Bihar Agricultural University (BAU) has been instrumental in advancing horticulture through digital initiatives in eastern India, distributing 624 agromet advisory bulletins over three years, benefiting over 6.684 million farmers via the m-Kisan Portal and 1.611 million through WhatsApp. BAU’s digital initiatives on Kisan Helpline, Sawal Jawab, Community Radio Station, Kisan Gyan Rath/ Krishi
Gyan Vahan are also benefitting the horticultural farmers. By adopting precision technologies like drones, IoT and AI; BAU has enhanced pest control, irrigation, and yield predictions, contributing significantly to the horticultural productivity and farmer’s income in this region though with limited extension services.