The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) organised a highly interactive workshop on “One Water, One Soil, One Health” in collaboration with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Bangalore, on their campus.
The concept of the workshop was kept as “One Water, One Soil, One Health” as it indicates the importance of managing water, soil, and health in a manner that promotes sustainability and improves environmental quality. The well-being of humans, domestic and wild animals/birds, plants, and all other living organisms is interconnected, relying on adequate and high-quality water, food, and air. The quality of water has a direct effect on soil health, which has a direct impact on the nutritional quality of agricultural products. These components have a direct influence on health by affecting food quality, drinking water, and the ecosystem. Therefore, the management of these highly interdependent resources directly impacts agriculture, food security, and public health.
Agenda and Speakers: https://konfhub.com/one-water-one-soil-and-one-health
Background:
According to the ICAR 2050 Vision document, water consumption is projected to increase by 50%, resulting in severe water scarcity. The irrigation water demand in the country is expected to rise to approximately 1,745 billion litres per day (BLD), compared to 1,658 BLD in 2000. Additionally, the food requirement of 280 million tons in 2020 is anticipated to grow to around 400 million tons (MT) by 2050. Over the years, resources such as water and soil have been heavily exploited, and climate change has significantly altered their dynamics. The excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides, along with unsuitable agricultural practices, amounts to between 0.5 and 1.3 million tons. A lack of essential nutrients in agricultural products contributes to malnutrition, while pollution leads to foodborne and waterborne diseases. Integrating water, soil, and health within an interconnected ecosystem is crucial for sustainable living. Fertile soil can enhance food production quality and increase yields, thereby reducing food scarcity and improving nutrient content. These elements are interconnected; a change in one can affect the others. Implementing effective agricultural and water management practices is essential to enhance the overall quality and quantity of existing resources in the country, thereby ensuring water and food security. A comprehensive approach that considers the integration of these three elements—water, soil, and health offers a powerful solution to this pressing issue.
Sessions:
The workshop included plenary presentations, thematic sessions, and a panel discussion featuring leading experts in the field. The thematic sessions explored:
- Integrated urban water resources management (IUWRM)
- Challenges to urban water supply management
- Climate and water smart agriculture – A case study on scaling microirrigation for Gujarat’s smallholders,
- Influence of soil and water dynamics on pest incidence
- Stable soil health for sustained health of all under a changing climate
- Impact of climate change on Horticulture crops and emerging pathogens in a warming world.
A key session focused on IEEE Standards and their influence on the environment and sustainability. Participants shared their views on how these standards can shape the future of sustainability efforts.
Panel Discussion:
The panel discussion covered various aspects of water, soil, and agriculture. It included topics such as smart farming in India, the impact of AI on agritech solutions, and the opportunities provided by short-term and long-term weather, climate, and environmental models. The discussion also addressed the current gaps and challenges in translating science to service for agrometeorology needs, as well as the paradigm shift in agriculture with real-time climate information in the era of 4IR technologies (IoT, AI, big data). Additionally, the panel explored new technologies that enhance the resiliency, safety, and availability of water services, along with the operational domains of the water industry. The panellists provided valuable insights into the most pressing issues surrounding sustainable living and the technological interventions that could help address these challenges.
Experts and participants focused on various challenges in these areas, including some of the advanced work happening both in research and industry to address the broader challenge of sustainability and the environment, as well as integrated solutions with a multidisciplinary approach. As part of this workshop, some of the critical work happening in standards development through IEEE SA, focused on GHG emissions, and technical knowledge commons, including the work on Planet Positive 2030, was also highlighted.
Participants:
The workshop included experts and participants from research, industry, and startups representing the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), ICAR-IIRR, Atria University, ICAR- Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Karkinos Healthcare, AgWise @ICAR-NBAIR, and TCS.
Mr. Amitesh Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), emphasised the importance of standards and how keeping standards in focus should be the first step while making any vision.
Various participants who attended the workshop were from Siemens, National Dairy Research Institute, ICAR NDRI, Mycelium Ecology, Indian Institute of Rice Research, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement, Forest First Samithi, Whiteforest Estates Private Limited, Rasaynix, GSSS Institute of Engineering and Technology, Innomantra, and AUra Earth Foundation, MS Engineering College, Jain University, Frogs and Cashews, SCSVMV University, Atria University.
