ISARC Hosts Advanced Training on Soil Health Management in Rice-Based Cropping Systems

Varanasi, 20 September 2025: The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), Varanasi, in collaboration with IRRI Education, has successfully concluded a four-day advanced training program from 17 September to 20 September 2025 on “Advanced Approaches to Soil Health Management in South Asia’s Rice-Based Cropping Systems.”

The program brought together participants from leading agricultural universities and ICAR institutes, including ICAR-IISS Bhopal, ICAR-IIFSR Modipuram, BHU-Varanasi, SHUATS Prayagraj, Punjab Agricultural University, and others. Renowned experts from BHU, ICAR-NBAIM, ICAR-IARI, IFDC, and ISARC contributed as resource persons.

Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Sudhanshu Singh, Director of ISARC, remarked that soil is the foundation of our food systems. Through this program, IRRI is building regional expertise and preparing the next generation of professionals to safeguard soil health for sustainable food security.

Unlike routine training courses, this program was designed as an in-depth, blended learning experience that combined lectures, hands-on activities, field visits, and laboratory demonstrations. Key sessions included digital tools for soil and crop management, where ISARC soil scientists Dr. Anthony Fulford and Dr. Ajay Mishra led sessions on the Rice Crop Manager (RCM), a farmer-friendly decision-support tool designed to optimize nutrient use efficiency and enhance productivity in rice-based systems.

Participants also explored the scope of soil spectroscopy for rapid and cost-effective soil analysis, with demonstrations at ISARC’s advanced laboratory highlighting its potential to support farmers with timely and precise soil health information and offering scalable solutions for better nutrient management.

A session on soil health governance and policy, delivered by Dr. Yashpal Sahrawat, Director-Resilience and Environment at the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), USA, emphasized the importance of policy frameworks and governance mechanisms such as the Bharat Soil Health Policy, with a timeline of phased implementation by 2047. This session included discussions on institutional support for promoting sustainable soil health practices at both national and regional levels, and called for low-cost, incentivized soil health policy.

In addition to classroom sessions, participants engaged in exposure visits to progressive farmers’ fields in Varanasi, where they observed integrated soil and water management practices in real-world settings. They also worked with soil health kits and conducted lab-based analyses to strengthen their technical expertise.

By combining scientific insights, digital innovations, and policy perspectives, the training equipped soil scientists, agronomists, extension professionals, and faculty members with actionable knowledge and practical skills to advance climate-smart, farmer-centric soil health management strategies across South Asia.

Interested in similar training opportunities? Visit education.irri.org to learn more or email us at irri-education@cgiar.org.