1                                          Proceedings of the FFCSWR‐2017

Proceedings of the 

National Conference on “Farmers First for Conserving Soil and Water Resources in North Eastern Region” (FFCSWR‐2017), 

Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Feb. 09‐11, 2017  

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A three-day Conference on “Farmers First for Conserving Soil and Water Resources  in North Eastern  Region  (FFCSWR‐2017)” was organized by Indian  Association  of  Soil  and  Water Conservationists,  Dehradun,  Uttarakhand to bring together farmers, researchers, policy makers, planners, administrators, NGOs and stakeholders on a common platform to share and discuss technological advancements, experiences and other issues related to adoption of Soil and Water Conservation practices in North Eastern India. In all, about 110  registered delegates, 68  farmers and many invited  resource persons, experts,  research managers and policy  planners participated in the three days deliberations held at Veterinary  College Campus, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati during February 09‐11, 2017. 

The Conference was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister, Govt of Assam, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal. The other distinguished dignitaries on the dais were Dr K.M. Bujarbaruah, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Assam Agricultural University, Dr  A.K.  Singh, DDG (Agricultural Extension), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi and Dr P.K. Mishra, Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation, Dehradun. Besides six Technical Sessions, there were two Special Sessions. Participation  The conference received overwhelming response from various sections of the farming communities, sponsors, scientists, administrators and other stakeholders. A large number of participants from various organizations including ICAR Institutes, KVKs and SAUs and Central and  State  agencies besides NGOs  functioning  in  the  region  and  other  regions  as  well participated in the Conference. Chair Person of Apex Authorities of Government of India, Vice Chancellor, Deputy Director General (Agril. Extension) of ICAR, Directors, Chair Persons of NGOs, renowned scientists etc. took active part in different occasions of the Conference.  Following organizations took active part in the Conference.  Prime Institutes Participated  The participants from the following Institutes/Organization were also recorded:

ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation, Dehradun. Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat Central Agricultural University, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Nabi Bagh, Berasia Road, Bhopal, MP ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Nagpur and regional Stations at

Jorhat and Kolkata SV College of Agricultural Engg. And Technology, Raipur

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ISRO-Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Kalidas Road, Dehradun Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Longleng, Nagaland ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi ICAR-National Organic Farming Research Institute, Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim ICAR-NRC on Mithun, Porba, Phek, Pfutsero, Nagaland State Departments of Soil Conservation/Agriculture of North-Eastern Region. Soil Conservation Department, Govt. of Assam.

Sponsors  The Conference was sponsored by the following organizations besides the organizers, the IASWC and ICAR-IISWC, Dehradun. Indian Council of Agril. Research (ICAR), New Delhi. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi NABARD, Department of Economic Analysis & Research, Mumbai National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Chennai. Soil Conservation Department, Govt. of Nagaland. Events and publications released  In total, 6 Technical Sessions addressing the issues of States of the region, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Assam besides a Special Session on Bio‐diversity and Rural Livelihood,    Inaugural and Valedictory functions were organized. The prestigious Dr  K.G.  Tejwani Memorial  Lecture titled “Towards Meeting  Soil‐Man‐Soil Expectation” was presented by Dr.  K.M.  Bujarbaruah,  Vice  Chancellor,  Assam  Agricultural University, Jorhat.  A total of 73  papers including 10  lead  papers,  3  Oral  presentations and 60  poster presentations by the Heads of State Departments and eminent Scientists, were accommodated during the conference. Seventy one invited innovative farmers shared their experiences, views and expectations with the participants individually through visual aids and lively interactions during different sessions of the conference. The innovative farmers and the acclaimed scientists were awarded  various  awards  including  Life  Time  Achievement  Award,  Fellow Award of IASWC, Young Scientist Award, Best Poster Paper award and Recognition Award for innovative  farmers  during  various  functions of the conference for their services and innovations in the field of Soil and Water Conservation and Integrated Watershed Management. The Conference included formal  and  informal  group  interactions with participant farmers and the scientists and a Cultural Evening. A Book titled “Natural  Resource  Management:  Opportunities  &  Technological  Options” containing Recommendations and selected papers presented in the National Conference on FFCSWR‐2014 held at Dehradun, Compendium of Abstract  of  Papers and Souvenir  for FFCSWR‐2017 and a Technical Bulletin on Soil and Water Conservation (Bulletin No. 1, 2016) ,    were released during the Conference.   

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Deliberations, outcomes and recommendations  

The Conference focused on various issues of research & development, capacity building and policy issues on soil & water conservation, conservative agriculture, integrated farming, integrated watershed management etc. The outcomes of the conference were well publicized by the local print media for its wider reach as vouchsafed in some of the Press Clippings and Photo moments enclosed herein. Feedbacks and innovations from farmers and participants on the outcomes of the conference have been received for further processing. The outcomes were linked to the websites of IASWC (www.iaswc.com) and IISWC (www.cswcrtiweb.org), Dehradun and ICAR, New Delhi (www.icar.org.in). A brief of the deliberations emerged out of the conference is given below:

1. Rain water harvesting at micro scale and ground water/sub-surface water recharge (spring rejuvenation) activities should get topmost priority in  all  land  based  development programs.

2. Potential  ITKs on natural resource conservation and integrated farming system should be upgraded to modern technical knowledge (MTK) for their wider adaptation by the primary stakeholders. This should find priority in research agenda of the concerned institutions/ organizations.

3. Development of Eco‐sensitive land use plan should be promoted in all NRM based activities being carried out through Govt. programs like MNREGA, NHM, NBM, etc. and corporate social responsibility (CSR) program of the public and private sector organizations.

4. Enabling policy should be framed to make appropriate utilization of culturable waste lands through people’s participation at individual and community level.

5. The training and capacity development initiatives should best be strengthened with specific skill improvement programs on specific soil and land management techniques.

6. Land  reclamation (acid soil management) soil health improvement and erosion control in developing shifting cultivation areas need to be addressed by simple solutions.

7. In view of the immense  potential of entire NER to convert the existing conventional agriculture to organic, suitable policy and infrastructure support is recommended.

Recipients of IASWC Awards for the year 2016 during the FFCSWR‐2017  1.  Life Time Achievement Award  

Dr. K.K. Satapathy, Ex-Director, NIRJAF, A-1, 2/10, Chhayanat, Calcutta Greens, 1050/2, Survey Park, Kolkata-700075, West Bengal.

 2. Fellow of the IASWC  

i) Dr. Balram Panigrahi, Professor & Head, Deptt. of Soil & Water Conservation Engineering, OUAT, Bhubaneswar-751003, Odisha.

ii) Dr. Vinod Kumar Bhatt, Principal Scientist (SWCE), ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation, Research Centre, Sector 27-A, Madhya Marg, Chandigarh-160019.

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3. Dr. K.G. Tejwani Award for Management of Natural Resources (Biennial 2014‐2015)        Dr. Kalikinkar Bandyopadhyay, Principal Scientist, Division of Agricultural Physics, ICAR-

Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012. Dr. Anup Das, Principal Scientist & Head, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam,

Meghalaya.

4. IASWC Gold Medal (Researcher/Scientist) Dr. Lakhan Singh, Head (HRD&SS Division), ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation, 218, Kaulagarh Road, Dehradun-248195, Uttarakhand.

IASWC Gold Medal (Field Functionary) Er. Roop Kishore Arya, Sr. Technical Officer (H&E Division), ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation, 218, Kaulagarh Road, Dehradun-248195, Uttarakhand.

IASWC Gold Medal (Technical Professional) Shri Suresh Kumar, ACTO (HRD&SS Division), ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation, 218, Kaulagarh Road, Dehradun-248195, Uttarakhand.

5. IASWC Young Scientist Award   i) Dr. Sharmistha Pal, Scientist, ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation,

Research Centre, Sector 27-A, Madhya Marg, Chandigarh-160019. ii) Dr. N.M. Alam, Scientist (SS&A Division), ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil & Water

Conservation, 218, Kaulagarh Road, Dehradun-248195, Uttarakhand.

6. Best Research paper Award   (Category Engineering & Hydrology) Groundwater modeling for assessing the recharge potential and water table behaviour under varying levels of pumping and recharge. Santosh S. Mali and D.K. Singh (Vol. 44(2): 93‐102)  (Category Soil Science & Agronomy) Sustaining farm productivity through watershed based participatory balance nutrient management: A case study from Semi-Arid Tropics of central India. D.R. Palsaniya, Ramesh Singh, R.K. Tewari, S.K. Dhyani, R.S. Yadav, S.P. Wani, R. Sachan and S.N. Pandey (Vol. 44(1): 13‐18)  

(Category Plant Sciences) Impact of Lantana camara Linn. Invasion on plant diversity, vegetation composition and soil properties in degraded soils of lower Himalayan region, India. Pankaj Panwar, Sharmistha Pal and A.K. Tiwari (Vol. 44(2): 177‐184) 

(Category Social Science) Adoption behaviour of conservation based improved marigold cultivation in tribal villages of southern Odisha. Jyotshnarani Maharana, S.K. Behera, P. Acharya and Praveen Jakhar (Vol. 44(2): 221‐228). 

7.  Best Poster Award 

 

Theme  1,  Poster  1:    137Cs Technology for Measurement of Carbon Erosion (Nishita Giri, Pankaj Srivastava and Debashish Madal). 

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Theme 2, Poster 4: Soil Biochemical Properties and Water Infiltration under High Density Mango in Red Soils (A.S. Morade, M. Pannirselvam, R.M. Kurian, A.N. Ganeshamurthy and H. Biswas).  

Theme  2,  Poster  16: Managing Soil Moisture through Conservation Tillage and Residue Management Practices under Rainfed Rice-rapeseed Cropping System in North Eastern Hill Region, India (Savita, Anup Das, Krishnappa R., M. Thoithoi Devi and P. Moirangthem). 

Theme 3, Poster 8: Effect of Tillage and Residue Management on Resource Conservation and Soil Organic Carbon Status in Degraded Soil of Shivalik (Sharmistha Pal, R.P. Yadav, S.L. Arya and A.K. Tiwari). 

Theme  4,  Poster  3: Enzymatic and Microbial Status in Different Phases of Degradation (Pankaj Srivastava, Nishita Giri and Debashis Mandal).  

Theme  5,  Poster  25: Evaluation of Hydrological Behaviour and Production Potential of Recommended Landuse System/Practices in the Nilgiri Hills (K.Kannan, D.V. Singh, V. Selvi and O.P.S. Khola). 

Theme 5, Poster 26: Homestead Farming for Ensuring Soil and Water Conservation through Integrated Farming Systems  (Rahul  Singh, Biswajit Debnath,  Shailendra  Sharma, D.U.M. Rao and Lakhan Singh).   Theme  6,  Poster  3: Framework for Assessing Soil Security in Watersheds: A Case Study (Hrittick Biswas, A. Raizada, Suresh Kumar, B.S. Naik, A.S. Morade and P. Mohan Kumar).                         

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Innovative farmers felicitated during the Conference on FFCSWR‐2017 

Sl.No.  Name of the farmer        Address 

Assam 1. Mr. Dipak Sonowal Secretary, Rupkolia MWC, Golaghat, Vill. Nauboisa, PO

Mokrong, District Golaghat, Assam 2. Mr. Pulin Kr. Gogoi President, Golaghat-10 (Dhansiripar) Micro Watershed

Committee, Borpathar, Golaghat, Assam 3. Mr. Nitul Chelia Vill. Chungajan Majgaon, Block: Sarupathar, PO Chungajan-

785601, Distt. Golaghat, Assam 4. Mr. Bibul Sonowal Vill. Lunporiagaon, Block: Podumoni, PO Mokrong-785631,

Distt. Golaghat, Assam 5. Mr. Pranab Kalita Vill. Rabantari, PO Haraltari, PS-Sapatgram-783337. 6. Mr. Nurul Alam Barbuiya Vill. Ujangram, PO Borjatrapur, PS: Borkhola, Cachar-

788110, Assam. 7. Mr. Rajib Nr. Singha M.G. Road, Abhayapuri, Distt. Bongalgaon-783384. 8. Dewan Khalilur Rahman Village: Halapakuri, PO Howly, Distt. Barpeta-781316. 9. Mr. Amiya Kumar Roy Tambulpur, Distt. Baksa, BTAD 10. Mr. Puspadhar Das Village Harharia, PO Nichalamafi, Distt. Baksa, BTAD 11. Mr. Niranjan Kumbhakar Barduwarmukh, Gargaon, Distt. Sivasagar, Assam 12. Mr. Mahendra Dowrah Chairing Dowrahpar, Distt. Sivasagar, Assam 13. Mr. Rohim Doley C/o Mr. Dhanbir Doley, Bahfala Misinggaon, PO: Bahphala,

PS: Pulibar, Distt. Jorhat-785108, Assam. 14. Mr. Pradip Patir S/o Late Gopiram Patir, Natun Chapori Village, Kakodonga

Block, PO Bahguri, PS-Deragaon, Distt. Golaghat, Assam. 15. Mr. Horen Chelia Village Nakhangia, PO Tengakhat 16. Mr. Gobin Bheralna Dighalia Gao, PO Dighalia, Distt. Dibrugarh 17. Mr. Pradip Kumar Nath S/o Jogen Nath, Rajapukhuri 18. Mr. Krishna Thakoria S/o Shri Rudra Thakuria, PO Ramdia 19. Mrs, Jaba Ingti W/o K.K. Ingti, PO Sonapur, Kamrup (M), Saaam. ______________________________________________________________________________ Meghalaya 

1. Mr. Phlinshon Mukhtieh Mawthei, Umroi 2. Mrs. Santa Lynshing Mawthei, Umroi 3. Mr. Gouranga Hajong Bhoirakupi, Zigzag Block, Wouth West Garo Hills 4. Ms. Pronilla Sangma Kherapara, BVlock Dalu, West Garo Hills 5. Ms. Skola Kurbah Mynsain, Bhoirymbong 6. Ms. Trias Makhroh Mynsain, Bhoirymbong 7. Mr. Hynniew Rynghang Mynsain, Bhoirymbong 8. Mr. Debinus Nongsiej Mynsain, Bhoirymbong 9. Mr. Midot M. Binong Marngar, Nongpoh 10. Mrs. Biona Lymphuid Kyrdem, Nongthymmai Tripura 

1. Mr. Sudip Mazumder Bagma, PO Bagma 2. Mr. Biswajit Mazumder Ramendranagar, Chalitachari 3. Mr. Biswajit Reang Baikora, Laxmicherra 4. Mr. Priyabandhu Pal Kariamora, Post Bagma

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Manipur 

1. Mr. R.D. Peter Purul Akutpa, Maram 2. Mr. A.S. Somi Nungshangkhong, PO Shangshak 3. Mr. V. Tuime Lolly Kachai, Kachai 4. Mr. Henkpao T.Champai Village, Churachandpur 5. Mr. Phijam Thoiba Sekmai Hijam Khunou Village, Ukhingshang 6. Mr. Kh. Samuel Chandonpokpi Village, Liwa Changning 7. Mr. Agam Kipgen Tollen, Churachandpur 8. Mr. Haopao Saiton Khunou, Churachandpur, Manipur, Lamka 9. Mr. Thangkhopao Haokip Hemkholum, Matiyang, Churachandpur, Lamka 10. Mr. A.S. Wungnaokan Sihai Village, Post: Ukhrul

Arunachal Pradesh 

1. Mr. Todak Basar Nyagam Village 2. Mr. Tonyir Basar Gori Village 3. Mr. T. Mito Basar Nyagam Village 4. Mr. H. Migo Basar Nyagam Village 5. Ms. Aruna Riba Kadi 6. Mr. Ligo Basar Gori-I Village

Sikkim 

1. Mr. Samroo Ugen Palzor Hee Gyathang, Lower Dzongu, Mangam Lepcha

2. Mr. Pem Leda Lepcha Timpyem V illage, Rumtek 3. Mr. Nim Tshering Lepcha Lower Nandok, Ranipool 4. Ms. Maya Bhutia Sajong, Ranipool 5. Mr. Mani Kumar Subba Lossing Village, Ranipool 6. Mr. Kenzang Lepcha Bringbong, Lower Dzongu, Mangan 7. Mr. Karma Dichen Bhutia Sajong, Rumtek 8. Mr. Home Prasad Chettri Lower Sadam, Namchi 9. Mr. Gokul Rai Upper Nandok, Ranipool 10. Ms. Gyamit Lepcha Upper Dzongu, Mangan 11. Mr. Dil Kumar Dhakal Lossing, Ranipool 12. Mrs. Hemkumari Poudyal Sama Linglong, Ranka

Nagaland 

1. Mr. Samjok Phom Pongching, Longleng 2. Mr. Atheyo Lotha Humtso, Wokha 3. Mr. Senizo Dzudo Village: Porba, PO Pfutsero, Distt. Phek, Nagaland. 4. Mr. A. Humotoe Wokha, Nagaland

Mizoram 

1. Mr. Joinal Uddin Majumder Bhuchemphai 2. Mr. Alauddin Laskar Bhuchemphai 3. Mr. P.C. Lalsangkima Bhuchemphai

Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble ChiefMinister, Govt of Assam giving Chief GuestAddress at the inaugural function

Dr K.M. Bujarbaruah, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Assam Agricultural Universityspeaking at the inaugural function

Dr A.K. Singh, DDG (Agricultural Extension),Indian Council of Agricultural Research, NewDelhi speaking at inaugural

Dr P.K. Mishra, Director, ICAR-IISWC,welcoming participants at the inaugural

p g g

Dr D. Mandal, Organizing Secretary,FFCSWR-2017 speaking at the inaugural

Release of Conference publications at theinaugural functionaugu a u ct o

A farmers interacts with participants

Dr S.V. Nagchan, Director, ResearchComplex NEH Region, Umroi Road, Umiamshares views on SWC issues

Sh. S. Choudhury, Director, Soil & WaterConservation Department, Govt. of Assamshares views on SWC issues

A Panel discussion on “Biodiversity andRural Livelihood”

A cross-section of the participants

A section of stall installed at the conference

Dr A. Haque, Chief Guest speaking at the valedictory function

Dr R.N. Goswami, Dean, FVSc, AAU,Khanapara speaking at the valedictoryfunction

A scene during a poster session

Dr Anup Das, Joint Organizing Secretary, FFCSWR-2017 speaking at the valedictory function

A section of the awarded farmers

In News (Clippings from Newspaper Cuttings)