There is a need for enhancing profitability, crop productivity and efficiency of resource utilisaiton while also providing livelihood options to the village people. The exchange of knowledge and experiences between north and south India will make a difference in transfer of learning.
The ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (IISWC) Director Dr PK Mishra stated this at the conclusion of a six-day training cum exposure visit programme on soil and water conservation techniques for 25 agriculture engineers from 14 districts of Tamil Nadu at the institute here.
Mishra also spoke about the concept, philosophy and participatory approach in integrated watershed management. He also stressed on the need for convergence and integration of all policy issues along with focus on institutional building in the watershed area was given.
The institute’s head of HRD and Social Science division, Dr lakhan Singh emphasised on ensuring active involvement of villagers in watershed management projects. He cited few examples of participatory water resource development and maintenance by farmers themselves. He explained the importance of capacity building/skill development for soil and water conservation while also stressed on the use of participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques along with modern tools for watershed planning. Experiential learning again may help and support the watershed management programmes.
Course coordinator Dr BN Ghosh spoke of modern approaches for watershed delineation through GPS, GIS and remote sensing. Technologies developed by IISWC and recommended for Tamil Nadu state like soil and water conservation measures for new tea plantation areas, mixed vegetative barriers for pine apple, tea plantation in terrace riser in Nilgiri hills; and agronomical management practices for higher productivity, resource use efficiency and farm income in semi-arid region were advocated and shared for further application.