Inter-Departmental Seminar

At the beginning of the session, Mrs. Sucharita Panda, Asst. Prof., Department of Agro-forestry addressed the audience and welcomed them to attend the seminar session. Then Dr. Nishith Das, Asst. Prof., Department of Agronomy was invited to deliver his seminar presentation on the topic “Climate smart water and nutrient management practices in rice”.

The seminar addressed sustainability challenges in rice-based systems of eastern India, especially Odisha. The region is already vulnerable to food insecurity and poverty, faces increasing risks due to climate change and variability in agricultural production. The speaker highlighted that, unsustainable practices such as conventional tillage, excessive fertilizer use, and continuous flooding in rice cultivation were identified as major contributors to methane emissions and declining soil health. To enhance climate resilience, the adoption of climate-smart practices like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) was emphasized for improving water-use efficiency, enhancing root oxygenation and reducing methane emissions. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) combining balanced fertilizers, organic manures, and bio-fertilizers was highlighted as key to improving nutrient use efficiency, promoting carbon sequestration and reducing synthetic inputs.

In conclusion, the speaker stressed that achieving sustainability in irrigated rice-based systems requires a shift from input-intensive to resource-efficient practices. The adoption of Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), System of Rice Intensification (SRI), and Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) offers a feasible pathway to improve productivity, environmental health, and resilience under changing climatic conditions.

The presentation gave a clear understanding on the topic and was highly praised by faculty members and students following a brief question-answer session. At the end, vote of thanks was given by Mrs. Sucharita Panda and the session was concluded