An Educational Tour of over 250 Class-VII enthusiastic students and over 20 teachers and staff from DAV Public School, Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar was successfully organized on 25 August, 2026 by ICAR-IIWM, Bhubaneswar. The visit commenced with an inaugural address by Dr. Arjamadatta Sarangi, Director of ICAR-IIWM. Dr. Sarangi provided an overview of the Institute’s core mandate, ongoing research priorities and technological innovations developed to address national water management challengers. Dr. S. K. Mishra, Principal Scientist gave a brief outline of the planned visit and coordinated the visit of students to the Technology Demonstration sites led by staff volunteers from IIWM and faculty of DAV Public School. Following the orientation, the students were divided into six section-wise sub-groups to facilitate interactive, hands-on demonstrations across the ICAR-IIWM Technology Park. The key technological demonstrations to the visiting students and teachers included: (1) Hydroponics & Aquaponics (Protected Cultivation): Dr. Prativa Sahu, Scientist demonstrated advanced protected cultivation methods, explaining the operational mechanics of vertical farming, hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic systems for sustainable food production. (2) Automated Rubber Dam Technology: Dr. Dhruba Charan Sahu, Principal Scientist explained the design, functioning, and water-conservation advantages of rubber dams, highlighting how automation enhances seasonal water regulation. (3) Rubber-based Lining Materials for Water Harvesting Structures and Open Pan Mini Evaporimeter: Scientists showcased flexible rubber linings for farm ponds and reservoirs, comparing their durability and environmental safety against conventional HDPE and Silpaulin sheets. The eco-friendly nature of rubber lining was demonstrated through thriving fish populations in the lined demonstration ponds. They were also explained the use of Open Pan Mini Evaporimeter in farmers’ perspectives. (4) IoT-Enabled Irrigation & Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD): Dr. Debabrata Sethi, Scientist detailed sensor-based water level monitoring and automated pump/valve regulation systems designed to optimize field irrigation in rice fields. He also demonstrated the automatic sluice gate and open-channel water measuring devices. (5) Low-Cost Soil Moisture Sensing System: Dr. Ajit Kumar Nayak, Scientist explained the implementation of low-cost sensor networks designed to trigger precise automated irrigation in non-rice crops. (6) Automatic Weather Station (AWS): Dr. Ankita Jha, Scientist demonstrated the real-time weather monitoring instruments that capture meteorological data critical for precision agricultural scheduling, like real time Temperature, Rainfall, Relative Humidity, Wind speed and Wind direction etc. (7) Soilless Cultivation of Dragon Fruit: Dr. Prativa Sahu, Scientist concluded the technical tour by explaining the cultivation of dragon fruit using engineered soilless media to maximize resource efficiency. Interactive Session & Conclusion: Throughout the tour, the scientists were engaged with the students in interactive Q&A sessions to clarify concepts related to agricultural water security, automation, and environmental conservation. The visit concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by the Faculty Coordinator Sri Basanta Kumar Dash of DAV Public School, Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar expressing appreciation to the scientists and leadership of ICAR-IIWM for providing students with valuable experiential learning. On behalf of the Institute, the coordinator Dr. S.K. Mishra expressed thanks to the Principal, visiting teachers and students for their cooperating and enthusiasm in learning about AWM technologies.
