Makhana & other Aquatic Resources for Livelihood Diversification in Bihar

Makhana or gorgon nut is cultivated in the stagnant pools of northern Bihar utter Pradesh lower Assam Manipur Orissa.Jammu and Kashmir etc. Its wild varieties are also found in Bangala desh Japan China Russia etc. The makhana- fish combined cultivation provide sustenance to thousand of members of the fishing community. Makhana has nutritional and medicinal properties and generates scope of improving cottage industries. Therefore as there is a great export potential of this crop. The government of India has launched several schemes on the crop. It is high time that steps were taken to boost our country economy by harnessing its natural resources to the optimum. The harvest of sadhana from the beds is an arduous task performed traditionally by fishing community. Thousand of stagnant pools spread over northern and North- Eastern India and abroad hold a great promise in this direction. The integration of ‘sadhana‘ with fish culture will definitely enhance the aquatic productivity which will alleviate the income and economic conditions of the resources among poor farmers of the region. It is expected that this effort would fill in the gap existing in this field and shall be able to attract attention of the upcoming research workers social scientist agricultural scientists and planners etc..