Bihar Agriculture University at Sabour in Bhagalpur. Picture by Amit Kumar

Bhagalpur, Dec. 18: Bihar Agriculture University (BAU) has decided to look beyond classroom education and research and focus on entrepreneurship to enhance food and livelihood security of the state’s people.

The Sabour-based university, which became functional from August 5, 2010, is scheduled to start direct telecast from its advanced communication centre to reach out to farmers.

BAU vice-chancellor M.L. Choudhary said preparations to set up the centre, which would also have a studio, were over and chief minister Nitish Kumar would inaugurate the facility in new year.

He added that the telecast centre would initially be attached to the Krishi Vikash Kendras (KVKs) functioning from Aurangabad, Madhepura, Harnaut (Nalanda), Gaya and Banka to broadcast agriculture bulletins.

“The farmers will love to watch the programmes related to agriculture. Besides, they will have the opportunity to interact through video conferencing facilities. We are planning to purchase a separate channel to broadcast the agriculture programmes,” the vice-chancellor told The Telegraph.

The university has already started a number of research programmes in collaboration with some foreign and national agencies to develop high-breed seeds. The aim is to increase productivity and explore ways to grow crops on barren land.

Recently, the institute signed tie-ups with the Mexico-based International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in Syria and Hyderabad-based International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas for extensive research to improve high-breed seeds of wheat, maize and pulses.

“Besides working towards improvement of the high-breed seeds, the research programmes aim at developing seeds that could ensure maximum production in unfavourable agricultural conditions such as dry soil, unwoven soil and adverse climatic conditions,” Choudhary said.

“For the first time, we have started producing high-breed seeds of vegetables and maize,” he added.