This session brought together scientists, FPO leaders, and sector experts to discuss how Makhana can transition from traditional cultivation to a climate-resilient, technology-driven value chain.

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬:

𝐃𝐫. 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐞𝐞, 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭 & 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫, 𝐍𝐑𝐂𝐌
“𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏-𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑩𝒊𝒉𝒂𝒓’𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚.”

✔ Introduced a futuristic vision for automation, robotics, and AI in Makhana cultivation

✔ Emphasized Good Agricultural, Hygienic & Value Addition Practices

✔ Advocated pond rejuvenation, integrated farming systems, and organic certification

𝐃𝐫. 𝐀.𝐊. 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭, ICAR- Indian Council of Agricultural Research-𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐑, 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐧𝐚
“𝑴𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉-𝒚𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒈𝒂𝒎𝒆-𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓.”

✔ Called for customised mechanisation solutions for aquatic systems

✔ Highlighted HYV seed clusters and climate resilience amidst erratic rainfall patterns in the Kosi region

Dr. Manoj Kumar, 𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐑-𝐍𝐑𝐂𝐌, 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚
“𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 90% 𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒍 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒂, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚, 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒌𝒔.”

✔ Noted gains from GI Tag and policy support, but warned of productivity stagnation

✔ Stressed efficient water management and field-based cultivation for scaling

𝐌𝐫. Rajeev Ranjan, 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐬 𝐅𝐏𝐂
“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆.”

✔ Urged structured capacity building to transfer traditional skills

✔ Called for strategies to meet demand for premium 6-suta grade.

𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞: The focus is clear: scale sustainably, mechanise wisely, and make Makhana globally competitive.