Latest news with #PrabhakarSharma
India Today
5 days ago
- Science
- India Today
Local farmer engagement key to water management, says Nagaland University study
A new study by Nagaland University has revealed that the long-term success of Aquifer Recharge and Recovery (ASR) projects depends significantly on the involvement of local farming communities. The research has stressed that groundwater management cannot be a purely technical solution but must also be driven by social and institutional study, recently published in the journal Societal Impacts, examined the socio-environmental effects of ASR through a pilot project in South found that when local farmers were actively engaged and maintained shared ownership of recharge pits, water availability improved, crop diversity increased, and communities gained socio-economic PARTICIPATION CRITICAL FOR LONG-TERM RESULTS Led by Prof Prabhakar Sharma of Nagaland University, the study found that success was not uniform. In Meyar, farmers took active responsibility for maintaining recharge pits and saw clear benefits. In contrast, in Nekpur, where farmers lacked trust in the technology and did not maintain the pits, ASR structures fell into Sharma stated, 'Unlike many prior studies that mainly focus on the technical feasibility and hydrogeological aspects of ASR, this research distinctly foregrounds the social, institutional and policy dimensions critical for sustainable implementation.'SOUTH BIHAR PILOT DEMONSTRATED SOCIO-ECONOMIC GAINSThe pilot study, supported by a grant from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, found that ASR significantly improved groundwater recharge, made irrigation more reliable, and enabled additional cropping cycles, thereby improving farmer average cost of setting up an ASR pit was approximately USD 400, making it a relatively affordable solution. However, due to financial constraints, most farmers preferred external support or public funding to initiate the CALL FOR ADAPTIVE POLICY AND INCLUSIVE PLANNINGCo-author Dr Aviram Sharma of the University of Vigo, Spain, emphasised the need for tailor-made strategies: 'Future interventions must incorporate localised adaptation strategies, financial mechanisms for farmer participation, and long-term monitoring of groundwater trends for measuring the impacts of the ASR pits on groundwater aquifers.' Prof Prabhakar Sharma, Nagaland University, meets with farmers of Meyar Village, Nalanda, Bihar The study recommends beginning with medium and large farmers who are more invested in agriculture and could serve as early adopters, encouraging others to follow. Sustained results will also depend on peer-led governance, policy incentives, and support from government and ASR FOR RURAL WATER SECURITYASR holds immense potential for Nagaland and other water-scarce North-Eastern states, where erratic rainfall and groundwater shortages are a growing study underlines that ASR must be embedded within broader, inclusive water policies that address socio-economic disparities and promote community-driven collaborative research included experts from India, Japan, and Spain, including researchers from the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Kyoto University. It brings a multidisciplinary lens to sustainable water solutions in rural, climate-impacted regions of climate variability rising, the study reinforces that community-led water conservation may be one of the most viable paths forward for building resilience in Indian agriculture.- Ends
India Today
05-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
You could be eating plastic every day without knowing it
'Would you care for a little plastic with your dinner?' It may sound like a joke, but studies suggest we are consuming tiny pieces of plastic every day -- without realising waste is choking rivers, polluting oceans, and now, entering our bodies through food. Around 430 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, two-thirds of which are thrown away after one use. According to Ocean Conservancy, an extra 11 million metric tonnes enter oceans each the Arctic to your dinner plate, plastic is everywhere. Of the 16,000 plastic compounds used globally, over 4,200 are considered ARE MICROPLASTICS AND NANOPLASTICS?These tiny plastic particles are so small you can't see them. Microplastics range from 5 mm to 1 micron, while nanoplastics are even studies have found:Microplastics in 90% of animal and plant protein fruits and vegetables absorb microplastics from the pink salt, sea salt, and black salt contain high levels of plastic tea bag can release over 11 billion microplastic particles when 100 gm of rice can expose you to 3-4 mg of plastic; this can rise to 13 mg with precooked rice before cooking can reduce plastic by 40% -- and also remove TO HUMAN HEALTHThese plastic bits carry harmful chemicals. They act like sponges, absorbing toxins and entering everything—from our clothes to our have now been found in human lungs, blood, breast milk, and even the placenta. A recent study showed that people with microplastics in arteries near the brain had double the risk of stroke or heart may carry endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates and bisphenols, and heavy metals. These particles can reach the liver, kidneys, and even unborn it's important to note that scientists haven't yet reached a clear consensus on the long-term health impact of these WITH THE MOST PLASTICBreaded shrimp had the highest microplastic count -- about 300 pieces per nuggets came next, followed by pollock sticks and chicken and carrots had over 1,00,000 microplastics per chicken breast, and pork had the least plastic people may be eating between 11,000 and 29,000 microplastic particles each year, but in extreme cases, this number could go up to 3.8 million -- depending on their food choices and TO CUT DOWN ON PLASTIC INTAKEDrink filtered tap water instead of bottled plastic-wrapped food -- go for glass, foil, or glass or stainless-steel containers to heat fresh food and reduce processed or packaged clothes made of natural has become an invisible part of our daily lives -- and our diets. By making a few simple changes, we can protect our health and the you ready to make the shift?- Article by Professor Prabhakar Sharma, Head, Department of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Nagaland University (Kohima Campus) advertisement
