By Avijit Biswas
Bhagalpur: In a significant move to boost Geographical Indication (GI) registration for exclusive agricultural products, a NABARD-sponsored Regional GI Facilitation Centre is set to be established at Bihar Agriculture University (BAU), Sabour.
The formal approval for the establishment of the regional centre was marked by the handing over of the NABARD sanction letter to Dr. D. R. Singh, Vice Chancellor of BAU, by Vimal Kumar, Chief General Manager (CGM) of NABARD, Patna.
The sanction letter was presented during a programme organised by the Directorate of Research at BAU to commemorate the occasion. NABARD, under its Gramya Vikas Nidhi initiative, agreed to provide a grant for the establishment of the centre following a request made by the university in May last year.
It is noteworthy that BAU has previously played a pivotal role in securing GI tags for several exclusive agricultural products of the state, including the Jardalu mango and Katarni rice, both of which are unique to this region.
The university is actively working towards securing GI tags for a number of other agricultural and food products from Bihar. Significant progress has already been made towards the GI registration of Sonachur rice, the Gulshan variety of tomato, and Litti Chokha, a traditional food item of Bihar.
With BAU prioritising the inclusion of more exclusive agricultural products from the state in the GI registry, the establishment of the Regional GI Facilitation Centre is widely expected to aid the university in achieving this objective.
In his address on the occasion, the Vice Chancellor of BAU stated that the university is rapidly advancing towards its goal of securing GI registration for as many exclusive agricultural products from Bihar as possible. He emphasised that increased GI registration would not only benefit the trade process but also greatly assist farmers.
To ensure that farmers can reap the maximum benefits from agricultural innovations, the university has prioritised facilitating GI registration for these innovations, he added.
The Vice Chancellor further noted that the GI registration of exclusive farm products with NABARD’s support is part of the university’s strategic initiative to attain agricultural excellence and enhance livelihood opportunities for farmers. He highlighted that the collaboration between NABARD and BAU would significantly contribute to the GI registration of Bihar’s unique agricultural products.
Speaking at the event, the CGM of NABARD commended BAU for being on par with institutions of international standard. He praised the academic and research facilities available at the university and assured NABARD’s continued support in achieving the goal of agricultural excellence.
A. K. Singh, Director of Research at BAU, spoke about the objectives and significance of the planned Regional GI Registration Centre during his address. Other NABARD officials present at the occasion included Amil Kumar Gautam, Assistant General Manager (AGM), Patna, and Chandan Kumar, District Development Manager (DDM), Bhagalpur.
