ICAR Institutes celebrate World Soil Day – 2023

5th December 2023

World Soil Day is celebrated on 5th December every year. It aims to educate farmers and citizens about the importance of soil in maintaining ecosystems and human well-being by addressing challenges in soil management and combating soil biodiversity.

ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Nabibagh, Bhopal

ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Nabibagh, Bhopal, organised a Farmers-Scientist Interaction meet cum workshop on 06th December 2023.

Dr. S P Datta, Director, ICAR-IISS, Bhopal, emphasized the importance of the soil and water as a source of life.

Farmers showed their keen interest in quality seed materials, machinery and nutrient management in various crops. Village sarpanch informed about different government schemes and also motivated farmers towards new technologies. 

Village Sarpanch Shri. Sarjan Singh attended the programme with 100 farmers.

ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore

ICAR-CIFRI celebrated ‘World Soil Day-2023’ on the United Nations declared theme “Soil and Water: A Source of Life” today at its headquarters in both offline and online mode connecting all its regional centers.

Dr. Niharendu Saha, Professor, Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, was the Chief Guest of the event. He emphasised the importance of Soil in agriculture in general and fisheries in particular and the need to celebrate Soil Day. Dr. Saha warned about the loss of topsoil, posing threats to agricultural production, degradation, and pollution, threatening ecosystems and nature. He suggested measures to prevent such consequences.

Dr. B.K Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, highlighted the significance of soil, water, and balanced nutrition in fish production. He discussed ICAR-CIFRI's efforts in disseminating information among fishers Dr. Das also discussed institute-developed technologies and products for inland open-water fishermen.

ICAR-CIFRI distributed Water and Soil Health Cards to fishermen of 20 major floodplain wetlands of the lower Gangetic region of West Bengal.

A total of 150 participants including scientists, students, research scholars, and fishers (a total of 30 nos. including 14 nos. of women fishers) participated in the programme.

ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Washim

ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Washim, organised an awareness programme about sustainable soil management practices today, to focus attention on the importance of soil health management.

Experts explained the soil fertility index of the district and briefed the role of KVK in nurturing soil health management activities. Experts also explained crop rotation, nano fertilizer, and measures to improve organic carbon.

Soil health cards were distributed to beneficiary farmers during the programme.

ICAR - Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi 

The ‘World Soil Day’ was organised today on the theme “Soil and Water: A Source of Life”. This program aims to create awareness about the importance of soil health and water in the food ecosystem.

Shri. Ravi Sharma, Member of Legislative Assembly, Sadar, Jhansi, was the Chief Guest of the event. He urged farmers to conserve the soil and water and use balanced fertilizers and micro-irrigation for efficient use of nutrients and water, as well as to grow low-water-requiring crops in the Bundelkhand Region. In total, 24 Soil Health Cards were distributed to the farmers.

Dr. V. K. Yadav, Director (Acting), ICAR-IGFRI, highlighted the importance of soil health for benefit of coming generations and advised farmers about crop residue management and the importance of millets in human nutrition.

In this program, 30 farmers from 3 villages (i.e. Ganeshgadh, Ramgadh, and Palinda) of Jhansi district participated.

ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai

ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai celebrated World Soil Day today under the theme ‘Soil and Water: A Source of Life’.

Dr. S.K. Shukla, Director, ICAR-CIRCOT, elucidates the need to shift from the use of chemical fertilizers to organic fertilizers.

Other experts elucidate the process of aerobic composting of biomass and its advantages over the use of chemical fertilizers in organic farming, the importance of determining C/N ratio.

The staff and students of the Institute participated in this programme.

ICAR – Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa

ICAR – Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa, and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, North Goa celebrated World Soil Day in Chodan Village, North Goa. The celebration aimed to raise awareness about soil health management and improvement, with a focus on the unique coastal ecosystem of Chodan Island.

The Chief Guest, Shri. Ravindra Kinalkar, Sarpanch, Madel-Chodan Panchayat, Tiswadi, Goa, appreciated the efforts of ICAR-CCARI and KVK in collecting soil samples and providing soil health cards to farmers with necessary advisories. He ensured wholehearted support for future follow-up activities on technology transfer and soil health management.

Dr. Anurag Raizada, Director In-Charge, ICAR-CCARI, urged participants to proactively participate in the campaign to make it a grand success.

The principal of Raghuvir and Premavati Higher Secondary School, Chodan, thanked the organizers for involving the students in the World Soil Day celebration and expressed that it sensitized students toward the role and importance of soils in our lives.

The celebration was attended by 112 participants, including farmers, students, panch members, Zila Panchayat staff, officials of the Department of Agriculture, and press and media personnel.

ICAR- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Namsai

ICAR- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Namsai under ICAR RC for NEH Region, Arunachal Pradesh organised World Soil Day at KVK office premises.

Dr. Utpal Barua, Sr. Sci. & Head, KVK, emphasised the importance of the celebration of World Soil Day and Soil Health Card (SHC).

A total of 14 numbers of SHC were distributed to the farmers and 45 numbers of farmers/Farm women/SHG and KVK staff were present during the programme.

ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun

ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun, organised a public awareness program with farmers at three different places in Dehradun district on World Soil Day.

Dr. M. Madhu, Director, ICAR-IISW, gave a lecture on the functioning of the Institute how the Institute is contributing to the progress of farmers, and how it is contributing to the natural conservation management of the Himalayan states. He also distributed grass-cutting machines to the farmers associated with Agriculture.

A total of 74 farmers, participated in the program.

World Soil Day-2023 and Agriculture Education Day-2023 celebrated jointly on 05th of December 2023 at ICAR-National Research Centre for Orchids (NRCO), Pakyong, Sikkim.

Dr. S. P. Das, Director, NRCO highlighted the “Relevance of International/World Days Celebrations vis-a-vis Agricultural Education Day and World Soil Day-2023. He also delivered a talk on “Agriculture Education-A Realm Towards Sustainable Green Planet”.

  

Dr. Dipankar Saha, Senior Scientist and as a co-ordinator of this celebration program conducted an Interactive session “Intellectual Property Rights-Fundamentals & Applications: A Relational Matrix with Innovations on Soil Sciences Research and Development”.

Mr. Manoj Kumar Singh, Principal, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Pakyong, Sikkim in his address highlighted about the ethical and value-based principles rejuvenation amongst students and others of the society for nature and its resources conservation aiming for a sustainable future.

Father Francis Xavier Banerjee, Principal St Xavier School, Pakyong, Sikkim spoke on responsibility of the citizens towards mother earth.

Guests and Director of the institute distributed the seed kit to the farmers participants and motivated the students.

ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad

ICAR-CRIDA celebrated World Soil Day at different places with the theme “Soil and Water: A Source of Life.” The main objective of this theme is to make people aware of the soil, how to maintain the ecosystem, and how to spread awareness about the usefulness and importance of soil.

I. Chindanoor village, Chincholi Taluka, Kalaburagi district, Karnataka. This event was conducted under the SC Sub

The event was attended by 70 farmers from the Chindanoor village. The significance of soil health management and various methods for improving soil quality was discussed in detail with the farmers. The soil sampling technique for soil testing was demonstrated by experts in the farmer’s field. Later on, the analysis of different soil parameters like pH, EC, and organic carbon using a soil testing kit was demonstrated to the farmers.

II. World Soil Day on 5th December, 2023 in TSP adopted village of Malkapur, Adilabad, Telangana.

More than 100 farmers participated in this programme, including a large number of women farmers. Scientists highlighted the importance of the soil health card for balanced fertilizer application for crop nutrient demand.

III. World Soil Day was organized at Farmer FIRST adopted village on 5th December 2023

A discussion on soil health issues was held involving farmers, scientists, and State Department officials. Later, soil health cards have been distributed to farmers.

(Source: Respective ICAR Institutes)