Dharwad: World Water Day was celebrated at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad on Wednesday wherein the experts felt that world was passing through a very difficult water situation and it was on the agriculture scientists to innovate appropriate technologies and policies.
Dr. V I Benagi, Director of Extension. referred to imminent water wars in the world and called for finding solutions to the water crisis. He laid onus on developing specific crops and genotypes suitable for drought and degraded soils.
Promotion of rain water harvesting in each household and the need to increase overall water supply situation were highlighted.
Participants made several suggestions which included working out the cost of cultivation of the crop by factoring in actual cost of water and to work out optimum water utilisation plans for different crops; to develop water management policies to suit different agro-climatic conditions like irrigated farming and dry farming; to mitigate the impact of climate change on farm economy; to incorporate suitable perennial fruit and grass crops in the cropping plan and to study different water harvesting models from around the world like Rajasthan model and Subaks for adoption among others.
Dr. S T Naik, Dean (PGS), Dr. Y B Palled, ADE, Dharwad and Dr. R R Patil, ADR, Dharwad and several faculty participated in the deliberations. Dr. Natalie Riedger and Dr. Shiva Halli, Faculty of University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada and Ravindra Bhat from WALMI, Dharwad were the special guests.
Oath was taken by the participants regarding their individual and collective responsibilities to save water for the present and future generation.
Dr. B S Janagoudar, Director of Education presided over. Dr. R S Poddar, Head, PPMC, UAS, Dharwad coordinated the programme.
