Andhra Pradesh

Workshop on water management begins

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPTI. March 10. The first annual workshop of the Andhra Pradesh Water Management Project got under way in the Regional Agricultural Research Station here for a critical evaluation of the various aspects of the project during its two-day technical session. The project sanctioned by the Government of Netherlands is one of the nationally-executed projects taken up by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).

Originally scheduled to last only till December, 2005, the project is now said to have been extended up to December, 2008. Among the professionals participating in the workshop are the Chief Technical Advisor, Alterra-ILRI, Wageningen, Netherlands, J. Boonstra and Snellen, Irrigation consultant from ILRI also of Netherland. The Vice-Chancellor of Sri Venkatgeswara University, S. Jayarama Reddy, was guest of honour at the inaugural session.

Book released

Dr. Boonstra in his brief address hoped that there would be a critical analysis of the working of the project. He later released a book, 'Sub surfer Drainage Practices", brought out by the ILRI while P. Somasekhara Rao, Member, FAO, released a bulletin on groundnut cultivation. Dr. Rao favoured a close interface between Agricultural University and the Department of Irrigation for achieving optimum results.

The SVU's V-C felt that a deeper study on all aspects of water management in the present critical scenario of recurring drought and depleting groundwater table was imperative.

A. Padma Raju, Director of Research, ANGRAU, presided over the function and released a bulletin on `Drip Irrigation' while T.V. Sathyanarayana, Project Manager, gave a overview of the project, its objective and the progress so far registered.

Earlier, B. Ravindranatha Reddy, Scientist (Agronomy),A.P.Water Management Project, welcomed while V. Munaswamy, Senior Scientist (Soil Science) and Head of the project, proposed a vote of thanks.

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