IFPRI signs MoU with Bihar government to boost rural livelihoods and agricultural policy planning.
Patna May 2, 2025: The Agriculture Department of the Government of Bihar signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on Friday, aiming to improve rural livelihoods, strengthen policy planning, and enhance the effectiveness of government programs across Bihar’s agricultural and allied sectors.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Amrit Lal Meena, IAS, and Chief Secretary of Bihar, and marks a strategic collaboration aligned with the state’s 4th agricultural Roadmap (2023-2028).
This initiative reinforces Bihar’s commitment to inclusive, evidence-based development.
“Under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Bihar has made significant progress in transforming its rural economy through focused investments in agriculture, livestock, dairy, fisheries, and food and nutrition security,” said Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena.
“This MoU builds on that foundation by leveraging IFPRI’s global research expertise and policy tools,” he said.
Key objectives of IFPRI and Bihar government partnership:
Policy Planning and Evidence Generation: Supporting data-driven planning across agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries, nutrition, and rural development.
Diagnostic Analyses: Informing program design and implementation based on Bihar’s diverse agroecological and socio-economic conditions.
Program Evaluation: generating empirical evidence to support and refine major initiatives like the Agriculture Roadmap and Climate-Resilient Agriculture programs.
High-Value Sector Development: Enhancing the role of horticulture, poultry, livestock, and fisheries through value chain improvements and inclusive livelihood strategies.
Capacity Building: Empowering government institutions with modern data systems and modeling tools to improve policy development and decision-making.
Nitish Kumar Singh, Director of Agriculture, Government of Bihar emphasized the significance of the partnership:
“Our goal is to ensure that agriculture programs continue to evolve with ground realities. Partnering with IFPRI will help strengthen our evidence base leading to more impactful decisions for rural communities.” Dr. Anjani Kumar, Senior Research Fellow at IFPRI echoed this sentiment:
“This collaboration offers an opportunity to generate actionable insights that support Bihar’s vision of resilient rural development. We are committed to working alongside the state government to deliver policy-relevant, rigorous evidence.”
Scope of the Agreement:
Valid for five years, the MoU provides a structured framework for joint analytical research, technical advisory support, capacity-building initiatives and stakeholder consultations.
The collaboration will also strengthen links with local research institutions to promote knowledge exchange and institutional development. Both parties may jointly mobilize resources and explore additional projects aligned with shared goals over the course of the partnership.
This initiative represents a vital step in transforming Bihar’s agricultural sector into a more resilient inclusive and data-informed ecosystem for the benefit of millions of rural households.
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EOM.