The Integrated Rural Technology Centre (IRTC) at Mundur near here hosted a day-long workshop on ‘climate change and agricultural livelihoods: adapting for tomorrow’ conducted by the Institute for Climate Change Studies (ICCS) under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) on Friday.
Inaugurating the workshop, District Collector S. Chithra said that regional components should be given more importance for the development of agricultural sector. She said that those engaged in agriculture were most affected by climate change.
Dr. Chithra said that the government and science research organisations were duty-bound to help the farmers cope with the changing scenarios. Scientific studies should be shared with the farmers with practical knowledge, she said.
The workshop saw discussions on equipping the farmers to face the challenges of climate change on the basis of the studies held in the catchment areas of the Bharatapuzha in Palakkad district.
IRTC registrar A. Raghavan said that the workshop aimed at preparing a comprehensive project for water resources and crop management in the district.
KSCSTE vice president K.P. Sudheer presided over the workshop. He underscored the importance of urgent interventions in water management and conservation in Palakkad, where the rainfall had dipped considerably.
IRTC director J. Sundaresan Pillai welcomed the gathering. Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) executive director Manoj Samuel and Mr. Raghavan spoke.
