One day-long commemorative workshop was conducted on 21st March 2026 to combiningly observe International Day of Forests and World Water Day by ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill (NEH) Region, Umiam with one onsite plantation drive and active participation students from IARI-Umiam hub, tribal Farmers and fellow residents of ICAR complex. The major themes of the workshop were “Forests and Economy” and “Relationship between Water and Gender”, highlighting the significance of natural resources and their sustainable use with key drivers and stakeholders in fragile mountain agro-ecosystems viz., women and common netizens.


        The workshop was graced by Shri Ganesan P., current Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), East Khasi Hills & Ri-Bhoi Division, Govt of Meghalaya, as the Chief Guest, and Ms. Vennam Anusha, Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF), Nongpoh Range, as the Guest of Honour. The programme was presided over by Dr. T. Ramesh, Honourable I/c Director with other distinguished and invited dignitaries viz., Dr. N. Uttam Singh, I/c Head, DTAC, Dr. Amit Kumar, I/c Head, DCS, Dr. Samir Das, I/c Head, DAFS, and Shri G. G. Harakangi, CAO (Sr. Grade), along with fellow scientists of organising committee, technical, administrative research and field staffs of institute, the staffs/students of ICAR-ATARI, Umiam, CPGSAS(CAU, Imphal), NBPGR Regional Station, IARI Umiam Hub students, and tribal farmers from Umden and Umsaitprah villages of Ri Bhoi district. The programme was commenced with registration of attendees and one onsite plantation drive at designated place of ICAR Residential Complex underscoring the importance of afforestation and environmental conservation. The plantation drive was inaugurated by Chief guest Shri. Ganesan P. (IFS) in presence of Dr. Ramesh T, Head (DSRE-Division of System Research and Engineering) & Honourable I/c Director, Dr. Krishnappa R, Principal Investigator (PI) of NICRA (National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture), Dr. N. Raju Singh, Scientist (Agroforestry) & organising secretary of the workshop, DSRE along with other scientific, technical & administrative staffs of the institute and active involvement of students and tribal farmers.
        The formal programme was started with playing of National Song cum ICAR Song and then followed by felicitation of dignitaries and lighting of lamp, setting a solemn and respectful tone for the programme. While delivering the inaugural remarks and welcome address Dr. Krishnappa, R, PI (NICRA), has highlighted the importance of commemorative workshop with major emphasis on specified themes for the observance of World Forest Day and World Water Day and extended the warm welcome to the invited dignitaries and attendees of workshop. During his address he emphasised the urgent need to conserve key natural resources of ecosystems like Forests, Water and Soil with their sustainable and resilient use under apparent changing climate and its vulnerabilities. Other invited dignitaries viz., Dr Amit Kumar, I/c Head of DCS has highlighted the importance of conservation of forests, current water scarcity in remote areas and adoption of climate smart crops with higher resource use efficiency. Dr N. Uttam singh, I/c Head of DTAC has delivered insightful address focusing on vedic background and related hymns for conservation of holistic mother Earth, with innate natural resources including forests for sustaining livelihoods and ecological balance. Dr.Samir Das, I/c Head of DAFS (Division of Animal and Fisheries science) emphasized the efficient utilisation of Bramhaputra river water with active participation of gender, advocating inclusive approaches in natural resource management. The CAO(Senior Grade) Shri Harakangi, throwed light on significance of serene environments like bird sanctuaries and sacred ecologies attracting the visitors/tourists for peaceful minds and tranquillity.
        The chief Guest Shri Ganeshan, DFO, highlighted the current and urgent environmental challenges and pressing issues of mountain ecosystems in alignment with the programme themes. The guest of honour Ms. Vennam Anusha underscored the importance of field staff cum range officers at grass root level and their efforts and agonies towards forest conservation and management. Both the guests have emphasised multi-sectoral involvement and collaborative efforts for the conservation of precious medicinal plants, indigenous horticultural crops and trees of local importance. While delivering the presidential remarks, Dr. T. Ramesh, honourable Director and Chairman of the workshop, has appreciated the efforts of the organizers and encouraged everyone to actively contribute towards conservation of precious natural resources including forests, water and soil. The event ended with a Vote of Thanks as delivered by Dr. N. Raju Singh, Scientist (Agro-forestry) & organising secretary of workshop, DSRE expressing gratitude to all dignitaries, participants, and organizers and acknowledging the funding support from NICRA (National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture) project for conducting the programme in a grand way. The major purpose of workshop to create awareness and spreading the key message about the significance of forests, water and other natural resources with their conservation, sustainable and resilient use vis a vis encouraging & ushering collective responsibility towards environmental sustainability has received fruitful dividend.
        The programme witnessed the participation of more than 170 participants, including students of ICAR-IARI Umiam Hub, tribal farmers from Ri-Bhoi district, students & staff of CPGSAS, ICAR-ATARI, Umiam, KVK Ribhoi and NBPGR Regional station and fellow residents of ICAR colony. The workshop was also involved the delivery of top three selected extempore speeches by IARI-Umiam Hu students viz., Ms. Rachita Badejena, Ms Chitra Vaishnavi and Ms. Smarakee Mohapatra and prize distribution for winners of competitions viz., Quiz, Extempore Speech, and Drawing/Painting which were organised on side lines of workshop with enthusiastic participation. Additionally, the farm inputs like quality seeds of climate smart crops like stress tolerant rice (Megha SA-1, Bhalum-5), Finger Millet(Nagaland-2 and Sikkim-2), Megha Maize-1, Buckwheat (Esculentum type) were distributed to beneficiaries for higher resource use efficiency and improved productivity under changing climate. After lunch, an interactive session was conducted for the benefit of UG B.Sc. Agriculture students of ICAR-IARI Umiam Hub, where students were actively interacted with Guest of Honour Ms. Vennam Anusha, IFS, ACF as well as Chief Guest Shri Ganeshan, DFO, discussing insightful experiences and career prospects in central forest services.
        The programme was organised by the committee of scientists and office staff viz., Dr. N. Raju Singh, Scientist (Agro-forestry), DSRE, Dr. Krishnappa R, PI (NICRA), DCS , Dr. N Uttam Singh, Senior Scientist, DTAC, Dr. L.Joymati Chanu, Scientist (DSRE), Dr. Bilashini Devi, Scientist (DSRE), Dr. H. Rymbai, Senior Scientist (DSRE), Dr. Badapamain M, Senior Scientist (DSRE), Dr.Nivedita S, Scientist (DCS), Dr.Dayananda Singh, Scientist(DSRE), Dr. Samir Das, Senior Scientist(DAFS), Dr. Anirudh Roy, PS and Incharge (Academic section), Dr Ramesh T, Head (DSRE) and Shri G G Harakangi CAO (Chief Administration officer, Senior Grade) and Shri Prashant Kumar, FAO with active guidance of respective heads of Division. The members of organising committee viz., Dr N. Raju Singh, Scientist (Agroforestry), DSRE and Dr Krishnappa R, PI (NICRA) , DCS have undertaken the key role with active participation for overall conduct of the workshop as organising secretary and representative for the event sponsorship respectively as the said workshop was sponsored under NICRA project.