Conference dwells on urgent soil rehab strategies

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) brought together leading scientists and policy experts for a high-level panel discussion on “Rehabilitation of flood-affected soils” during the national conference on “Land and water management for ecological restoration and agricultural sustainability.” The session was chaired by Dr SS Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, while Dr JK Singh and Dr AS Dhatt served as co-chairs.

Experts, including Dr TBS Rajput, Dr Rakesh Sharda, Dr Rajiv Sikka, Dr JP Sharma, and Dr Arya, highlighted urgent measures required to restore soil structure, fertility and water-holding capacity affected by flooding, erosion, sedimentation and nutrient leaching. They underscored the need for targeted soil testing to assess nutrient losses, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, and stressed interventions such as de-siltation of dams, increased storage capacity, erosion-control structures, and early-warning systems for flood-prone regions. They urged farmers to integrate these recommendations with soil rehabilitation practices.

“As we face intensifying challenges such as droughts, floods and degradation of fertile land, we must come together to act now,” said Dr SS Gosal. Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research, said, “Soil conservation is not just an environmental concern — it is directly tied to global food systems, water security and human well-being.”

Speaking on flood impacts, Dr Manmohanjit acknowledged that while floods may temporarily redistribute nutrients, they generally cause far greater harm than benefit to long-term soil health. He emphasised that durable solutions lie in sustainable land and water management, restoration of floodplains, and building of soil resilience against future climate events.

The conference also hosted parallel technical sessions. The session on “Food and nutritional security through climate-resilient sustainability” was chaired by Dr MIS Gill, Dean, PGS, PAU, along with Dr Dharam Paul, Dean, PGS, Karnal, and Dr KB. Singh as co-chairs. Another session on “Digital innovations for land and water management” was chaired by Dr SD Khepar and co-chaired by Dr SK Sondhi.