Abstract: This study investigates the impact of agricultural development on the ecological footprint in Bihar, where agriculture remains central to economic growth and rural livelihoods. Using annual time-series data from 1991 to 2023, the study examines the effects of agricultural value added, renewable energy consumption, trade openness, and urbanization on environmental sustainability. Data are collected from the Global Footprint Network, World Development Indicators, and government statistical reports. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model and Bounds Testing approach are employed to estimate both short-run and long-run relationships among the variables. The findings reveal that agricultural development significantly increases the ecological footprint due to intensive farming practices, excessive fertilizer use, groundwater depletion, and mechanization. Renewable energy consumption helps reduce ecological pressure, whereas trade openness contributes to environmental degradation. Urbanization shows mixed and statistically insignificant long-run effects. The study recommends adopting climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy-based irrigation, organic farming, and efficient resource management to ensure sustainable agricultural development in Bihar.
Keywords: Agriculture, Ecological Footprint, ARDL, Bihar, Environmental Sustainability, Renewable Energy.
Title: Agriculture and the Rising Ecological Footprint in Bihar: Symmetric Analysis
Author: Dr. Manish Kumar
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
Vol. 14, Issue 2, April 2026 - June 2026
Page No: 154-161
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 12-May-2026
