Workshop on climate smart technology concludes
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 03 2024: A two-day international workshop on "Climate Smart Technology to Promote Water and Food Security in South & South-East Asia" successfully concluded, here, on Tuesday.

The workshop organised by Humphrey Fellows from four countries namely Dr Rajkumari Sunita Devi (India), Dr Petch Manopawitr (Thailand), Dr Ohnmar Khaing (Myanmar), and Dr Khurshid Alam (Bangladesh) was part of the Humphrey Collaborative Alumni Project (CAP) grant awarded by the Institute of International Education (IIE), Washington DC, USA.

The workshop aims to bring together climate experts, policymakers, and stakeholders, along with Humphrey scholars from Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India, to discuss climate-smart agricultural practices, address climate challenges, showcase new technologies, and facilitate networking opportunities for advancing agriculture and watershed management in the region.

The first day of the workshop was held at Hotel Imphal, and was attended by planning director N Kulkarani.

Founder-director of WforW Foundation and CEO of WODER Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava, who also serves as the national president of Water Resources Council of the Women's Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, raised important questions about how individual and collective choices of lifestyle and occupation, including food choices, shape India's institutions and policies on water, farming, and food.

Additional CEO of SLNA Watershed, Manipur Dr Rajkumari Sunita Devi provided the background and rationale for the workshop.

She elaborated on the Hubert Humphrey Programme, a robust initiative that allows scholars and professionals to undergo research and professional development in the United States through fhe United States India Education Foundation (USIEF).

She emphasised that the workshop served as a platform for scholars and teachers to acquire an international event certificate, a requirement for receiving their degrees or for higher promotions.

Two panel discussions were held on the first day.

The first panel, "Climate Smart Technology for Water Security," was moderated by Prof Asha Gupta with Dr L Sanjoy Meitei serving as rapporteur.

Presentations included Dr Petch Manopawitr's discussion on "Enhancing Water Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions", which provided examples from Bangkok; Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava's insights on "Decoding and Decentralising the Nexus of Water, Farming, and Food"; Dr Rajkumari Sunita Devi's presentation on "Watershed Management - Best Practices for Water and Livelihood Security in Manipur"; and Pradip Phanjoubam's talk on "The Role of Media in Climate Change and its Mitigation for Water Security" .

The second panel discussion, "Climate Smart Technology for Food Security - Agro-Base Technology and Breakthrough in Food Technology," was moderated by Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava, with Kosygin Leishangthem as rapporteur.

Presentations included Prof Indira Sarangthem's "Climate Resilient Agriculture - Embracing the 5A Approach of Nature-Based Solutions"; Dr Ohnmar Khaing's "Climate-Smart Agriculture Interventions for Food and Water Security in Myanmar"; and Rupachandra Yumnam's presentation on "Media Partnership in Climate Change and its Mitigation for Food Security" .

Although Dr Khurshid Alam of Bangladesh was scheduled to speak on "Potential of Organic Agriculture to Address Climate Change and Ensuring Food Security," he was unable to attend.

The moderator used this time to engage all workshop participants in a discussion.

The second day of the workshop included a held trip to Loktak Lake, a Ramsar site and the heart of Manipur's water resource system.

The group was hosted by Loktak Development Authority chairman Asnikumar Moirangthem, who discussed the importance of this wetland for the people of the state and led a boat ride for the delegates.

Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava conducted a "Lake Walk and Talk," sharing her expertise and enthusiasm for the lake's ecosystem.

The workshop concluded with a round table discussion moderated by Dr RK Sunita, where participants drafted recommendations based on their learning and findings from the event.

The discussions focused on practical steps for implementing climate-smart technologies to enhance water and food security in South and South-East Asia.

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