Farmers urged to focus on wiser use of water in Karnataka

Malaprabha and Ghataprabha Projects Command Area Development Authority (CADA) administrative officer M. Satish Kumar has urged farmers in Karnataka to ensure wiser use of water resources.

Speaking at a three-day training programme on integrated water resources conservation and management for farmers of the Malaprabha and Ghataprabha command areas organised at the Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI) in Dharwad, he asked them to form water users’ co-operative societies and actively participate in the participatory irrigation systems.

He urged farmers to make the best use of such programmes and learn skills of using modern agricultural technologies, participatory irrigation management, formation and functioning of water users’ co-operative societies, water rate assessment and collection, and irrigation laws.

He said the trainees will visit demonstration plots, micro-irrigation units, hydraulic, soil and water testing laboratories, a livestock unit, a vermi compost unit, and a rainwater harvesting unit on the WALMI campus.

“In an agriculture-dependent country like ours, irrigation water drawn from reservoirs is invaluable. Good yield can be achieved through quality seeds, proper soil management, and judicious use of water,” Professor B. Y. Bandivaddar said. He said that farmers should cultivate crops suited to local soil and environmental conditions rather than relying solely on paddy and sugarcane.

“By learning about government facilities available through CADA, ensuring proper water rate assessment and collection, and making use of Union Government schemes, water users’ co-operative societies can become financially stronger,” he said.

Land Development Officer (Co-operation) S. S. Poojari said proper water distribution requires close cooperation between farmers and engineers under the participatory irrigation system. “Societies should independently handle water rate collection, create awareness on water assessment, and ensure that all farmers benefit from CADA schemes,” he said.

Water Users’ Co-operative Society president Kumar Timmapur said farmers should equip themselves with knowledge on silt management, formation and functioning of societies, CADA schemes, and ensure the efficient use of soil and water.