Shri Ram Nath Thakur, Hon'ble MoS for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, GoI interacted with Director and Heads of Divisions and senior officers of ICAR-IISWC, Dehradun at Haridwar on January 5, 2025 to review the research and development activities of the Institute.

Dr. Madhu, Director of ICAR-IISWC, presented an overview of the Institute's prime activities and achievements. These included research and technology development, field demonstrations, training, and capacity-building programs for various stakeholders such as farmers, state government officials, executives, students, international professionals, and others. He highlighted services like technical consultancies, laboratory support, and academic services related to soil and water conservation (SWC) technologies and natural resource management besides recent innovations and initiatives taken, like Drone’s Remote Pilot Training Organization (RPTO). The presentation also covered impacts of the Institute’s technologies and services to farmers and stakeholders besides the contributions through professional services like consultancies for River-Bed Material (RBM) extraction, preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for watershed management, impact evaluation of watershed projects, and maintaining a repository of data on natural resource management and SWC. It was informed that a total of 33063 farmers from 180 village across the country has benefitted from the services of the Institute during last 2 years.

Dr. Muruganandam, Head of the PME and KM Unit, discussed the potential and opportunities for fisheries development in Uttarakhand. He also addressed the Minister's queries regarding research coordination and professional services offered by the Institute.

Dr. R.K. Singh, Head of the Hydrology and Engineering Division, Dr. D.V. Singh, Head of the Soil Science and Agronomy Division, and Dr. J.M.S. Tomar, Head of the Plant Science Division, shared detailed insights into SWC technologies, bioengineering measures, and soil health management strategies.

Shri Thakur emphasized the importance of the Institute's role in addressing the needs of farmers and farming communities. He urged the scientists to adopt a proactive approach to meet farmers' needs and contribute to their prosperity. The Minister called for a focus on diversifying agricultural practices to enhance production through farm animals and fish farming, vegetable cultivation, and crop production, both regionally and nationally.

He further stressed the effective utilization of the Institute's human and material resources to develop improved crop varieties, boost production, and maximize benefits for farmers across the country.