Deputy Director General (NRM), ICAR, New Delhi,  Dr. A.K. Nayak inaugurated the International Salinity Conference 3.0 (WE-CARE-2025) at Goa

 

Hon’ble Deputy Director General (NRM), ICAR, New Delhi, Dr. A. K. Nayak, inaugurated the International Salinity Conference 3.0 (WE-CARE-2025) on 29^th October, 2025. The event is being jointly organized by the Indian Society of Soil Salinity and Water Quality (ISSSWQ), Karnal, and the Association for Coastal Agricultural Research (ACAR), Old Goa in collaboration with the ICAR–Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI), Karnal, and the ICAR–Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (CCARI), Goa,. The conference is being held from 29^th October to 1^st November 2025 at ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa, Goa.

In his inaugural address, Dr. A.K. Nayak highlighted that soil and water salinity pose a growing threat to agricultural productivity, ecosystem health, and food security, especially in arid and coastal regions. He emphasized the need for science- and technology-based innovations to make agriculture more sustainable and resilient. He stressed the urgency of tackling this challenge amid climate change and water resource pressures. He commended ICAR-CSSRI, Karnal, and ICAR-CCARI, Goa, for bringing together scientists, policymakers, and experts from SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), AARDO (African-Asian Rural Development Organization), JIRCAS (Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences), ICBA (International Center for Biosaline Agriculture) and other countries to deliberate on restoring saline ecosystems and expressed confidence that the conference would yield actionable outcomes and stronger research partnerships. Dr. Nayak also stressed that it is important to maintain the equilibrium in the fragile saline ecosystems and hoped that this conference would come up with concrete policy recommendations for the benefit of policy makers and stakeholders.

Dr. R. K. Yadav, Director of ICAR-CSSRI, Karnal, briefed the gathering about the conference and highlighted that discussions will be held across six thematic areas during the event.

Dr. Parveen Kumar, Director, ICAR- CCARI, Goa in his welcome address briefed about the achievements of the institute and highlighted the technologies developed for coastal saline soils. He also informed that a special session on sustainable coastal agriculture in the conference will focus on the adoption of climate-resilient crop varieties, integrated farming systems, and efficient resource management practices to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity, sea-level rise, and soil degradation in the coastal region.

Dr. S. K. Chaudhari, Director General of The Fertilizer Association of India and Former DDG (NRM), ICAR, New Delhi highlighted the global scenarios in salinity management in Australia. Europe and Africa and attempts towards the precision farming.

Dr. Gurbachan Singh, Former Chairman ASRB (New Delhi) highlighted the problem of resodification and also briefed about the history of ISSSWQ and its achievements since inception.

Dr. R. Thamizh Vendan, Acting VC- TNAU, Coimbatore, Dr. P.L. Patil, VC- UAS, Dharwad and Dr. B. R. Kamboj, VC, CCS HAU, Hisar also graced the function and addressed the gathering. Dr. N. K. Tyagi, former Member of ASRB and former Director of ICAR-CSSRI, Karnal, along with Padma Shri awardee farmer Mr. Sanjay Patil, known for his work in natural farming, also graced the occasion. About 200 delegates from India as well as SAARC and AARDO member countries including Japan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Dubai, Oman, Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, Gambia, Eswatini, and Lebanon are participating in the conference.

During the inaugural function, various publications of the ISSSWQ were released, and several honours, including the Fellow of the Society as well as Best Ph.D. and M.Sc. Thesis Awards, were conferred.

Dr. Gajender Yadav, Organizing Secretary of the conference and General Secretary, ISSSWQ proposed vote of thanks.