Twelve days training program on “Tools and Techniques of Sampling in Soil and Water Conservation” was inaugurated at ICAR-IISWC, Dehradun on 18th February, 2021. This training program from 18 February to 1st March, 2021 is a first of its kind being organized by ICAR-IISWC, Dehradun under the National Fellow Project and will provide an overall glimpse of various aspects of sampling and recording of different research facets related to soil and water conservation. This training is also important in the sense that it is being organized by our Institute after a long gap due to the prevailing pandemic situation, thus marking the start of normalcy in our daily lives. A total of 17 participants have registered for the Training Program, 12 Technical Officers from ICAR-IISWC, Dehradun, 2 Technical Officers from ICAR-IISWC, RC Chandigarh, 1 Scientist from KVK, Barari, Jhansi and 2 Scientist from WTC, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi is participating in the program. The training will be conducted in the hybrid mode with 13 participants joining physically for the training while three will be connected virtually during the program.

 

 

The inaugural function was chaired by Dr. R. S. Yadav, Director, ICAR-IISWC, Dehradun who highlighted the importance of the training program for the participants. He was happy that such a program was being organized as he nominees are Scientists and mainly newly recruited technical’s working in field of soil and water conservation but having a very diverse educational background. Thus, this program would provide a common learning platform for the participants and make them competent to work more confidently at field level. Dr. N. K. Sharma, Head, SS&A, in his address also stressed upon importance of such training programs and wished that it be made a regular feature in the institute.

Dr. D. Mandal, National Fellow and Course Director of the Training briefed about the content and various modules to be dealt with in the program. He highlighted how management of natural resources is the key to sustainable development, and policies and programs for managing them largely depend on the scientific data generated from research organizations working in this field. Particularly for ICAR-IISWC, Dehradun and its regional centres, which solely works on soil and water conservation and managing natural resources the data generated is of prime importance as it directly reflects the cause and effect of soil degradation. So, perfection is a prerequisite for sampling and recording observations at the field level which would help to draw firm inferences about the different research experiments going on in the Institute. Therefore, this training program which aims to equip the participants with the sampling tools and techniques in soil and water conservation is the need of the hour to develop expertise in this domain. He also emphasized about our attitude towards our work which would make a huge difference in our daily life and how this training program also aimed at motivating the participants to carry out their work with more zeal and vigour. Dr. Gopal Kumar, Course Co-director proposed a formal welcome address and Dr. Uday Mandal, Course Coordinator proposed a formal vote of thanks on the occasion.