Bhubaneswar, Nov 22: Two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed by the Department of Water Resources with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Indian Institute of Water Management (ICAR-IIWM), Bhubaneswar, and the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB).
The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Anu Garg, Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Water Resources.
Key officials in attendance included Suresh Kumar Vashishth, Secretary of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development; Prem Chandra Choudhary, Director of Agriculture and Food Production; Dr. Rabindra Kumar Panda, Principal Scientist at ICAR-IIWM; and Uvari Antony R., Vice Chancellor of XIMB. Senior officers from various departments, including Water Resources, Agriculture and Farmers' Empowerment, and Fisheries & Animal Resources Development, were also present.
The first MoU was signed between the Director of Command Area Development and Participatory Irrigation Management (CAD-PIM) and the Director of ICAR-IIWM. It focuses on a project for the "Pilot Field Demonstration of Digital Water Measuring and Soil Moisture Sensing Systems for Enhancing Agricultural Water Productivity of Canal Commands."
The project aims to demonstrate and evaluate IoT-enabled systems for water measurement and soil moisture sensing, developed by ICAR-IIWM, for irrigation scheduling at the Harianta Distributary of the Kakatpur-Puri Main Canal in Usumavillage, Cuttack, Odisha. This collaboration is expected to enhance the capacity of Pani Panchayats in adopting digital devices for automated irrigation control, improving water efficiency, and promoting crop diversification in canal command areas.
The second MoU, signed between the Project Director of the Odisha Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture (OIIPCRA) and the Vice Chancellor of XIMB, focuses on the "Training of Trainers" (ToT) for office bearers of the Pani Panchayats. This will be followed by handholding support in a cascading mode. The MoU also includes assessments of training needs, as well as evaluations of the output and outcomes of the training programs.
Anu Garg also took the opportunity to review the progress of sustainable irrigation projects in the districts of Ganjam, Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar, and Kalahandi. The district Collectors, who joined the meeting virtually, shared positive feedback on the success of these projects. They highlighted the benefits of various Micro Irrigation Projects (MIPs) developed under the initiative, emphasizing how farmers are gaining from these projects.
Garg stressed the importance of improving water productivity, promoting crop diversification, and fostering sustainable agriculture through collective efforts across departments, including Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, and Animal Resources Development. She also suggested that the MIPs, which have attracted public interest for their innovative agricultural practices, should be further encouraged for Agri-tourism and Aqua-tourism, as they offer valuable opportunities for recreation and learning related to water-based activities.
