The Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (ICAR-IISWC), Dehradun is organizing a field training on Soil and Water Conservation and Agriculture production for undergraduate and postgraduate students from 20th Feb. to 3rd March 2023 for 12 days, at the IISWC Research Farm, Selakui. This course is 5th in the series and 55 students and scholars from different local academic institutions and different states are attending the training.Dr. M Muruganandam, Principal Scientist and Course Director inaugurated the training program. Introducing various aspects of the course syllabus and modules covered in the course he spoke on the unique coverage and benefits of the program to the participants.

Highlighting the importance of natural resources, and their conservation, he shared scientific perspectives associated with various ecosystems, concepts, and conservation needs. While interacting with the participants he requested them to be attentive and get the maximum benefit of the unique program.Dr. AC Rahtore, Principal Scientist and OIC (Farm) spoke on the aspects covered on horticultural, forestry, and plant-based interventions covered in the program. He assured that the course will be of knowledge provider and help in professional career. Dr. Deepak Singh, Scientist, and Course Coordinator briefed on the meteorology, soil hydrology, and hydraulics-related influences in resource conservation and crop production. Dr. Pramod Lawate, Sr Technical Officer conducted the field visit after the inaugural session. Sh. Deshwal, Farm Superintend, and Er. U Tiwari, STO conducted the inaugural session. The scientists and technical officers of the Institute and the research farm will provide conceptual and practical knowledge on various technological interventions and resource conservation.

The participants interacted with the resource persons and shared their expectations from the program, which set the beginning of the course formally. The course is mainly designed to expose the students to various farming and field-based conservation models and systems besides field instruments, techniques, and procedures followed in soil and water sampling, and analysis, tree-crop cover measurement, SWC measurements implemented soil health assessment, and crop productivity measurement. Exposure to drone applications in agriculture ad resource conservation will be the added highlight of the training.

The modules will provide knowledge and skills on analysis of various soil-water components, run-off, and soil loss estimation, understanding integrated nutrient management, vermin-composting, hi-tech propagation of fruit plants, bamboo species, orchard management of different fruit plants, the distillation of aromatic grasses and value addition, application of drone in the survey and crop monitoring, use of modern tools in soil conservation and attributes of fisheries in watershed development.