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Peoples Science Institute

Programme Review Committee meeting for SRI programme ”Innovative upscaling for equitable promotion of SRI in Western Orissa

Programme Review Committee (PRC) meeting for SRI programme ”Innovative upscaling for equitable promotion of SRI in Western Orissa” was held on July 21, 2009 at Sahabhagi Vikas Abhiyan, Billenjore, Nuapada, Orissa. The programme aims at upscaling SRI paddy cultivation in western Orissa with a special focus on small and marginal farmers and rainfed fields. The PRC members deliberated on the goals and objectives of the programme. The members felt that the master trainers are the core of this programme and therefore they should be provided sufficient training in a regular manner. They felt that basic data for all the farmers should be collected and only detailed data for selected sample should be collected. They also reviewed the progress of the programme and suggested that there is a need to restrategize the programme in view of the current situation, where after a long delayed monsoon, followed by heavy rains that have created a difficult situation for the SRI farmers.

International conference on environmental flows requirement of himalayan rivers

This conference was jointly organised by SWARA and WWF-India. The delegates were government officials, researchers and civil society organisations working on environmental flows. The themes of the technical sessions progressed from an introduction of the concept to the implementation of environmental flows in the Gomti and the Ganga. This also provided a good opportunity to interact with people working on the issue of flows. The diversity of opinion, and the delegate's commitment to their work led to some interesting discussions. The conference concluded with the formation of short and long-term recommendations to be forwarded to the Ministry of Water Resources.