SDG 2: Zero Hunger | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production
Institutions: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare | Government of Bihar
On 04 October 2025, Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed two major events in Patna, Bihar: the Rabi Workshop & Advisory Dialogue and Makhana Mahotsav 2025.
During the Rabi Workshop, officials from central and state agencies discussed strategies for the upcoming season - focusing on seed supply, input availability, weather advisories, pest management, credit access, and strengthening last-mile extension services to ensure smallholder preparedness.
At the Makhana Mahotsav, he released the report “Makhana: From Culture to Prosperity”. He declared Bihar a global hub for makhana (fox nut) cultivation, with the cultivation area increasing from about 3,000 hectares to 35,000–40,000 hectares. A new Makhana Board has been notified to promote research, branding, value addition, and marketing. The Centre has sanctioned ₹475 crore for infrastructure, machinery, and new variety development in the makhana sector. The government also reaffirmed procurement of lentils, urad, and arhar at MSP.
The twin events symbolically tie crop season planning with value-chain promotion, especially for regionally significant crops like makhana, embedding policy planning with local agrarian priorities.
These combined events underscore the Ministry’s strategy to integrate seasonal advisory planning with crop-value chain support, especially for high-potential regional crops. In Bihar, linking rabi readiness with makhana’s scaling creates a narrative of aligning central schemes (input, procurement, infrastructure) with state crop ecosystems for equitable growth.
What is the Makhana Board? → A newly notified entity to oversee the research, development, marketing, branding, and promotion of makhana (fox nut) in India, particularly to boost value addition in Bihar’s cultivation ecosystem. It matters because institutional backing can catalyse more investment, better quality control, and stronger market linkages for this niche crop.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: As the Ministry seeks synergy between cropping advisories and crop-specific value chain push, how can central and state frameworks institutionalize such alignment to ensure local priorities drive national agricultural planning?
Follow the full news here:
Rabi Workshop & Advisory Dialogue: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2174824
Makhana Mahotsav & Makhana Board release: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2174801