A three-day National Conference on “Land and Water Management for Ecological Restoration and Agricultural Sustainability” concluded in the Department of Soil and Water Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), today. The conference drew over 300 delegates, including scientists and government officials, to address soil erosion and water scarcity challenges, thereby, enabling the participants to outline key takeaways and action steps to move forward with soil conservation efforts.
The event also featured oral/poster presentations on various themes, cultural program and a panel discussion, chaired by the PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal.
The chief guest Dr Gosal reiterated the call for crop diversification and groundwater conservation, urging the policymakers to adopt conference recommendations for ecological security. He praised the deliberations, emphasizing innovative solutions like rainwater harvesting, micro-irrigation, and climate-resilient crops to combat soil degradation and water scarcity. He also stressed on fostering collaborations for agricultural resilience.
Dr Rishi Pal Singh, Registrar, PAU and Dr TBS Rajput, President, Soil Conservation Society of India (SCSI), New Delhi, who were the guests of honour, hailed the organization of the three-day event that focused on discussing the latest technological advances and operational tools in the field.
Dr Shamsher Singh, former Additional Commissioner, Government of India, expressed heartfelt gratitude to all the speakers for making valuable contributions, as well as to the delegates and volunteers who made the event a great success.
During the session, Dr Sanjay Arora, Senior Vice-President, SCSI, highlighted various awards instituted to recognize outstanding contributions in the fields of land and water management.
Earlier, Dr Rakesh Sharda, Co-Organizing Secretary, welcomed the dignitaries and the participants, acknowledging their valuable presence at the conference.
Dr Manmohanjit Singh, Organizing Secretary, summarized technical sessions, including the panel on “Rehabilitation of Flood-Affected Soils,” which drew acclaim for practical strategies on nutrient restoration and erosion control. While delivering a vote of thanks, he expressed gratitude to the speakers, sponsors, and participants for fostering collaborations across different states.
The stage for the entire programme was conducted smoothly by Dr Samanpreet Kaur. Special appreciation was extended to different committees for ensuring the smooth conduct of the event.
On the occasion, three publications including Compendium of Abstracts, Souvenir of the Conference, and “Advanced Approaches for Climate Resilient Water Resource Management,” penned by Dr Mukesh Kumar, Dr Sanjay Arora and Dr TBS Rajput, were released by the dignitaries.