The Water Technology Centre (WTC) of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) and International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Hyderabad, have jointly received the Rotary water award for 2009-10.
According to university release, S. Chellamuthu, Director, WTC, and K. Palanisami, Director, IWMI, received the award from P. Murugesa Boopathi, Vice-Chancellor of TNAU, and V. Rajkumar, District Governor Nominee, Rotary International District 3201, recently.
Stressing the importance of water conservation, Mr. Rajkumar expressed concern over the exploitation of water in India.
“The drip irrigation and fertigation systems being promoted by the university are very useful for farmers. But, these technologies are not being fully harnessed,” he said.
Mr. Boopathi called for modern micro-irrigation systems to help conserve water. This, coupled with fertigation and precision farming worked wonders in the fields of farmers. He called for forming “Commodity Groups” through which farmers would have easy access to modern technology, information, marketing and processing.