THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 17, 2026

Seeking to make irrigation systems more efficient, responsive and closely aligned with farmers’ needs, the Odisha government on Monday brought together policymakers, engineers and technical experts from across India and abroad to deliberate on smart irrigation, digital technologies and demand-driven water management.

The one-day workshop on “Smart Irrigation and Demand-Driven Water Management – Technologies, Innovations & Pathways to Scale”, organised by the Department of Water Resources at the Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhawan, focused on identifying practical and technology-driven pathways to improve irrigation efficiency and strengthen water management in the face of climate variability and changing rainfall patterns.

Organised in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Nippon Koei, the workshop provided a platform for experience-sharing on irrigation practices and technological innovations from Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan, besides international experiences from Japan, Indonesia and Tokyo.

Principal Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Shubha Sarma, along with Engineer-in-Chiefs Dillip Kumar Rout, Bighnaraj Purohit, Susil Kumar Behera, Purna Chandra Rath and Subrat Kumar Nayak, Additional Secretary and other senior officials of the department attended the workshop.

The event also saw the participation of Takeuchi Takuro, Chief Representative, JICA India, and Dr G. Sampath Kumar, Managing Director, Nippon Koei India.

Technical experts attending the workshop included Mr Siddharth Parameswaran, Development Specialist, JICA India; Dr Sunil Chauhan, Project Director, HPCPD Phase-II, Himachal Pradesh; Arindam Mishra, State Programme Manager, JSLPS, Jharkhand; Jitendra Dixit, Chief Engineer, RWSLIP, Rajasthan; Takuya Nakagawa, Director–Technical & Project Division, Nippon Koei India; Riko Sakata, Specialist, DX Advancement in Infrastructure, Nippon Koei, Tokyo, Japan; and Mukul Singh, Chief IT Officer, Nippon Koei India.

Against the backdrop of increasing climate variability, unpredictable rainfall patterns and rising demand for water from different sectors, the deliberations stressed the need to move beyond a conventional focus on infrastructure creation and place greater emphasis on efficient water use, real-time information, improved irrigation services and management systems that respond directly to farmers’ requirements.

The workshop explored the scope for integrating digital technologies, innovation and data-driven approaches into Odisha’s irrigation systems to improve planning, monitoring and decision-making.

During the inaugural session, the Principal Secretary, Department of Water Resources, stressed the need to ensure that the benefits of irrigation extend beyond assured water supply by linking irrigation with crop diversification, enhanced agricultural productivity and improved livelihoods of farmers.

The former Chief Engineer of the JICA-assisted Rengali Irrigation Project delivered the welcome address and set the context for the workshop. The Chief Representative of JICA India and the Managing Director of Nippon Koei India also shared their experiences and perspectives on strengthening water and irrigation management through technology, institutional approaches and international cooperation.

The technical sessions featured a wide-ranging exchange of experiences from Odisha, other states and international partners.

A presentation on the Odisha Integrated Irrigation Improvement and Climate Resilient Agriculture Project (OIIPCRA) highlighted approaches towards climate-resilient irrigation, minor irrigation tank systems and farmer-centric water management. It covered initiatives such as tank rehabilitation, Pani Panchayats, climate-resilient agriculture and convergence with fisheries and livelihood activities.

JICA presented its experience of the agriculture and irrigation scenario in India and its multifaceted support to the sector. The JICA-assisted Himachal Pradesh Crop Diversification Promotion Project was also discussed, providing insights into approaches that seek to strengthen irrigation while promoting diversification and improving agricultural outcomes.

Best practices in drip irrigation and crop diversification from Jharkhand were presented, while the experience of the Rajasthan Water Sector Livelihood Improvement Project provided another perspective on linking water-sector interventions with livelihoods and improved resource management.

The workshop also turned its attention to international experiences, with sessions on digital transformation in water management in Japan and Indonesia. The presentations highlighted the potential of digital tools and emerging technologies to strengthen monitoring, planning and decision-making in the water sector.

Discussions on data-driven flood and watershed management, drawing lessons from Tokyo, further broadened the scope of the deliberations. The participants also examined possibilities for integrating technology into Odisha’s irrigation systems to develop smarter, more responsive and demand-driven water management mechanisms.

A key takeaway from the workshop was the growing importance of real-time information, digital platforms, technology-enabled monitoring and data-based decision-making in improving irrigation efficiency.

At the same time, the discussions underlined that technology alone cannot deliver sustainable improvements unless it is effectively aligned with field-level institutions and the actual requirements of farmers.

Senior officers and employees of the Department of Water Resources, engineers associated with various irrigation projects and river basins, and experts and representatives from JICA and Nippon Koei India participated in the workshop.