Bhubaneswar, 17 August (H.S.): The Department of Water Resources, Odisha Government, organised a one-day workshop on “Smart Irrigation and Demand-Driven Water Management – Technologies, Innovations & Pathways to Scale” at the Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhawan, on Monday.

Organised in collaboration with JICA and Nippon Koei, the workshop brought together policymakers, senior officials, engineers and technical experts to discuss ways to make Odisha’s irrigation systems more efficient, technology-driven and farmer-centric.

Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, Shubha Sarma, along with senior departmental officials and Engineer-in-Chiefs, attended the programme. Takeuchi Takuro, Chief Representative, JICA India, and Dr G. Sampath Kumar, Managing Director, Nippon Koei India, also participated.

The discussions focused on addressing challenges arising from climate variability, changing rainfall patterns and increasing water demand. Participants emphasised the need to move beyond infrastructure creation towards efficient water use, real-time monitoring, data-driven decision-making and demand-based irrigation services.

The workshop highlighted the importance of linking irrigation with crop diversification, higher agricultural productivity and improved farmer livelihoods. Experiences from Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan were shared, covering climate-resilient irrigation, minor irrigation tanks, drip irrigation, crop diversification and livelihood initiatives.

The Odisha Integrated Irrigation Improvement and Climate Resilient Agriculture Project (OIIPCRA) was also discussed, with emphasis on tank rehabilitation, Pani Panchayats, climate-resilient agriculture and convergence with fisheries and livelihood activities.

JICA and Nippon Koei experts presented international experiences from Japan, Indonesia and Tokyo on digital transformation, water monitoring, flood and watershed management, and technology-enabled planning.

The deliberations underlined the potential of digital platforms, real-time information systems and technology-based monitoring to improve irrigation efficiency and water management in Odisha. Participants also stressed that technological solutions should remain aligned with field-level institutions and farmers’ needs.

Senior officials, engineers associated with irrigation projects and river basins, and representatives of JICA and Nippon Koei India participated in the workshop, facilitating the exchange of technical knowledge, field experiences and best practices.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda