Dr. Amita Raj Highlights Critical Role of Land Restoration and Afforestation in Environmental Conservation

The ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region (ICAR-RCER), Patna, commemorated World Environment Day on June 5th, 2024, focusing on "Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience." The event began with a tree plantation ceremony done by esteemed guests Dr. Amita Raj, Divisional Forest Officer of Sitamarhi and Sheohar, Bihar, Dr. Prakash Jha, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Climatology at Mississippi State University, USA, representatives from Brahma Kumaris, and Dr. Anup Das, Director of ICAR-RCER, Patna.

Approximately 350 participants attended, including farmers, students, and scientists from ICAR-RCER, Patna, Ranchi Centre, and KVKs in Buxar and Ramgarh. Dr. Rachna Dubey, a Scientist in the Division of Crop Research, delivered the welcome address, setting the tone for a series of engaging discussions.

Dr. Amita Raj highlighted the critical importance of land restoration and afforestation efforts, emphasizing that these initiatives are essential for combating environmental degradation. She pointed out that restoring degraded lands not only revitalizes ecosystems but also enhances biodiversity, improves soil health, and contributes to the overall resilience of the environment. Dr. Raj underlined that afforestation plays a vital role in sequestering carbon, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Concurrently, Dr. Prakash Jha shared his research experience in the fields of simulation and On-farm participatory research, irrigation scheduling tools, disease risk assessment model and 5Ps’ agroecosystems (productive, protective, predictive, prescriptive and practices. Brahma-Kumaris encouraged participants to conserve and protect nature.

During this event, the whole discussions revolved around the critical issues of land restoration, drought resilience, and effective water management strategies. The significance of innovative agricultural practices in adapting to climate change was underscored by a panel of experts including Dr. Ajay Kumar, Dr. Santosh Kumar, and Dr. Kirti Saurabh.A scientist-cum-students from IARI Patna hub interaction session further enriched this event, showcasing collaborative efforts to promote sustainable environmental practices.

The celebration not only marked World Environment Day but also demonstrated the commitment of ICAR-RCER and its partners to addressing environmental challenges through science and community engagement.During this event, Dr. Anup Das, Director of ICAR-RCER, Patna highlighted the significance of land degradation neutrality, pressing biodiversity and the institute's efforts in developing drought-tolerant crop varieties. He also elaborated on the effective drought mitigation practices being implemented by the institute. The program concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Arti Kumari, Scientist at ICAR-RCER, Patna.

This event was also celebrated with great zeal by ICAR-RCER Ranchi centre and KVKs in Buxar and Ramgarh. Dr. Ashutosh Upadhyay, Dr. Anirban Mukherjee, Dr. Abhishek Kumar, Sanjay Rajput, Umesh Kumar Mishra and others made important contributions in making the programme successful.