Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
T2a-20P-1239
Makhana a Highly Profitable Venture under Flood Prone Waterlogged
Areas
Hemant Kumar Singh 1 , M.K. Roy 1 , Amrendra Kumar 2 and Anjani Kumar 2
1 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kishanganj-813210, Bihar, India
2 Agricultural Technology Application and Research Institute (ATARI), Patna, India
India is the highest makhana producing country and it is also cultivated in Korea, Japan, and
Russia some extent. It is also known as gorgon nuts. It originates from lotus seeds. Foxnut
(Makhana) can be consumed alone as roasted one, desert items and can be combined with
vegetables and prepared as a delicious porridge after popping it like corn. Makhana farming
has the potential to be highly profitable, and its seeds are referred as a "black diamond." It
has been demonstrated that the net profit from this aquatic cash crop. Fox nut or gorgon nut
has significantly a larger area than the other cash crops and is being traditionally cultivated in
the Mithila region of Bihar. It has been established that makhana is a highly nutritious cuisine
that is also beneficial for daily health. Its pops pose many vitamins, essential minerals,
digestible fibre and fat free organic produce consisting of many nutrient elements. For its
successful cultivation requires a temperature range of 20 to 35 0 C for proper growth and
development, as well as a relative humidity of 50-90 per cent and annual rainfall of 1000-
2500 mm. Bihar alone produces more than 85% of all makhana produced in India and making
it the nation's top producer. The state Kishanganj is one of the top Makhana producers’
districts. Makhana is cultivated either in perennial water bodies having water depth of 4-6 ft
or in the field system. Field system: This is a new Makhana cultivation system that the
research institute has standardised. Makhana cultivation is carried out in agriculture fields at a
water depth of one foot in the system. The Makhana seedlings are initially grown in a nursery
before being transplanted at the right time into the main field. The transplanting might take
place anywhere from the first week of February to the third week of April, depending on the
availability of the field and nursery. The length of the Makhana crop is shortened by this
approach by up to four months. Helping farmers replace traditional cultivation systems with
new methods, as well as providing commensurate subsidies, will result in a complete
overhaul of the cultivation system, increasing per hectare yield and thus increasing the
incomes of millions. Recently Makhana of Bihar received GI tag.
Methodology
The study was carried out by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kishanganj. Demonstrations were
conducted with the selected 06 farmers of adopted village covering of unproductive and
water logged due to flood area of 08 ha under NICRA project during 2021-22. Planting was
done during 3 rd week of February. Demonstrations were conducted to study the gap between
Climate resilient agriculture for risk mitigation
283 | Page