MAGSAYSAY AWARD WINNER ENVIRONMENTALIST EMPHASISES EXPANSION OF GREEN COVER TO COUNTER CLIMATE CHANGE

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 3: Ramon Magsaysay Award winner and Gandhian environmentalist Mr. Chandi Prasad Bhatt on Tuesday emphasized the need to expand the green cover to counter climate change.

“The extreme heat conditions we are experiencing now can only be countered by plantation of trees. It is the answer,” he said after planting two saplings— Rudraksha and Termanalia– in the SOA University campus here.

Pointing out that Kalahandi district in Odisha figured among the hottest areas of the country during summer, the 83-year-old social activist known for the Chipko movement said vigorous attempt to extend the green cover would recharge the ground water and counter the effect of rising heat.

Mr. Bhatt was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982 for community leadership and was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2005.

“The mindset of the people need to change and the youth shall have to come forward to work for protection of the environment,” he said.

Recalling his experience when he visited the areas devastated by the 1999 super cyclone in Odisha, Mr. Bhatt said it worried him a lot as a lot of greenery had been wiped out by the natural calamity.

“The city of Bhubaneswar was badly affected in the 300 kmph storm and scores of big trees had got uprooted. But it made me happy when I saw that the city had reclaimed a lot of greenery,” he said.

“I am also glad that the area under mangrove vegetation in the Odisha coast, which covered an area of 193 sq km in 1999, has increased to 231 sq km as per the latest Forest Survey Report,” the eminent environmentalist said adding the mangroves acted as a buffer against cyclones and need to be protected.

Mr. Bhatt was felicitated in the university by its founder President Prof. Manojranjan Nayak and Principal Advisor to the President, Prof. D.P.Ray. The program was organized by the NSS unit of the university.

ADOPT PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE: EXPERT

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 8: Apart from reducing carbon footprints, the strategy to combat climate change would be to adopt proven technologies and integrate the same to improve systems, an eminent expert has said.

“We have to adopt proven technologies and provide tangible benefits quickly to the communities. The key was to make efficient use of technology to reduce use of energy,” Dr. Sundaresan Subramanian, global consultant on issues of energy and environment, said while addressing an International Workshop on Climate Change at the Institute of Business and Computer Studies (IBCS), SOA University’s faculty of management sciences, on Wednesday.

Speaking on climate change, Dr. Subramanian said human activities had significantly contributed to the phenomenon since the industrial revolution in Europe in the 18^th century and life style changes had been further accentuating the problem.  “We are going for efficient cars, appliances and devices further raising the energy demand requiring more burning of fuel to create energy,” he said.

The 2-day workshop, which concluded on Wednesday, was organized by the US-based Rivers of the World Foundation (ROWF) and ‘Analyst Odisha’ in collaboration with the SOA University. Researchers and faculty members attended the workshop.

The workshop was also addressed by Dr. Subijoy Dutta, Founding Director of ROWF and an expert on water and hazardous waste management, Prof. M.C.Dash, former Chairman of the Odisha Pollution Control Board, Mr. P.K.Dhal, Member, ROWF and Prof. Anup Samantaray, Dean of IBCS.

Referring to India, Dr. Subramanian said technology, which was advancing fast, has to be taken advantage of to meet the challenge. “Pollution here is all around—in air and water– besides the complex problem of waste management to deal with,” he said.

People must help by reducing energy use at home by adopting energy saving practices, making use of renewable energy wherever possible, conserving water at all cost and spreading awareness of green practices, Dr. Subramanian said.

President of the ROWF Prof. William E. Roper, who is also a Professor at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA, also spoke to the participants through web conferencing explaining about use of remote sensing for identification of wetlands, subsidence areas, erosion and slide regions, historic and culture sites and conservation of endangered wildlife habitat.

Remote sensing, he said, could aid a plethora of activities to contain degeneration of soil, vegetation, river and other natural heritages.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAPPENING NOW, WARN EXPERTS

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 9: Climate change is a reality and is happening now with human activities hugely contributing to the phenomenon, eminent environmental scientist and former Chairman of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board, Prof. M.C.Dash said on Friday.

“The International Panel on Climate Change has agreed that climate change is happening now and our activities are responsible for the situation,” Prof. Dash, also former Vice-Chancellor of Sambalpur University, said while addressing a conclave on sustainable development goals and climate change at the Institute of Business and Computer Studies (IBCS), the faculty of management of SOA University.

Carbon compounds, Prof. Dash said, were going into the atmosphere triggering the change in climate with Carbon Dioxide alone accounting for 63 per cent of it causing heat to get trapped.

“We urgently need to act and issues of sustainable development are important. Resources being limited, the thrust should be on green technology, another instrument to ensure sustainable development,” he said.

The impact of climate change was being felt significantly in India at present in two natural resource fronts—water and energy, Mr. Prafulla  Dhal , Mentor and State Manager, The Climate Reality Project (TCRP), Odisha, said.

Climate change has been responsible for extreme weather conditions, triggering water instability, shortages, inequality and conflicts, he said.

“India with 18 per cent of world’s population but only four per cent of global fresh water is facing a disastrous situation with water wars being witnessed betweens states,” Mr. Dhal said adding traditional dry regions were receiving more rains while wet areas were going dry even during the monsoon.

Summer rains were on the rise and the severity of floods and droughts had increased with most Indian cities facing the challenge of floods and water shortages together, he said.

Mr. Dhal said that the situation could be fought through life style changes at the individual and community level. The conclave was an endeavor to sensitize teachers and students about climate change and the need to include it in the education system, he added.

Mr. Aditya Pundir, Country Manager of TCRP, Prof. Srikant Mohapatra, Founding Vice-Chancellor, Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur, Prof. Arun Pattnaik, Head, Centre for Development Studies, Central University, Hyderabad, Dr. Sailabala Padhi, Director, Centre for Environment Studies and Prof. Anup Samantaray, Dean, IBCS, also spoke at the event sponsored by The Climate Reality Project, UNESCO, The Climate Project Foundation, The Analytics Odisha and SOA University.

A promising future with Agricultural Sciences

Modern human civilization is a direct product of the development & rise of agriculture. The history of agriculture dates back thousands of years, and its development has been driven and defined by greatly different climates, cultures, and technologies. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science.

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture is gaining popularity among students since the degree covers a wide range of disciplines such as biology, chemistry, economics, management, animal science and food science among several others. By the end of this program, you will not only have a plethora of job options at your disposal but also the study will strengthen your foundation in agricultural sciences.

Here are a few reasons why Bachelor of Science in Agriculture has a promising future ahead for students:

1. Get Acquainted With a Variety of Skills

Through this course you get acquainted with a variety of skills that will help you cultivate a rewarding career. You are introduced to a variety of disciplines and skill sets such as organization skills, numeracy and IT, teamwork, ability to manage projects, research skills, leadership and new technological developments. The practical experience and cross disciplinary studies that are a part of this course will enrich your knowledge about the subject.

2. Make a Difference

With climate change, genetically modified crops and agricultural issues being discussed at a global platform, graduates of this particular course have the rare opportunity to make a difference in the society. This degree challenges you to work on top priority concerns worldwide. With the technical skills inherited through the course with a combination of soft skill sets and problem solving abilities, you can work on sustainable farming practices and work with international non profit organizations.

3. Exciting Career Options

There is a demand of skilled graduates in this field so after completion of your degree, there are exciting career options that you can explore. Some of the areas where you can find employment include land and livestock management, animal welfare, agricultural research, sales and management, technical writing, water management, nutrition, plant science agriculture technology and sustainable agriculture to name a few.  The job market is only going to expand in the next few years resulting in thousands of jobs in these related fields across the world.

4. Multiple Job Offers

Since there are a variety of career paths you can choose from, graduates often field multiple job offers from leading organizations. This is a rare feat since graduates from other courses may even struggle to find one decent job. As this is a specialized and unique program, the starting salary package is attractive and full of incentives.

5. Ready for Job Market

While you might be fielding a few offers from top organizations or have a wide range of career options to select from, you might be wondering whether this program’s graduates are ready for the job market or not? The answer is yes! Throughout the duration of your degree, you will be introduced to environmental, economic and agricultural issues and the crisis it is facing in the modern times. As your critical thinking process and communication skills advance, by the end of the course you will be ready to face any challenge at your workplace.

6. International Appeal of the Degree

As the related areas to agriculture have become global concerns, this degree has an international appeal with government agencies and other multinationals hiring employees from different parts of the world. Since this is a relevant degree with practical experience being inculcated in students, it won’t be difficult for you to work abroad especially in countries that take issues like climate change, sustainable development and waste management seriously.

According to a recent report, it is being said that graduates with a degree in agricultural programs can expect approximately 60,000 new job openings annually in the United States. Canada and Europe also have high demand of skilled graduates in this field.

7. Further Education

If you want to enhance your knowledge and indulge in focused learning, you can always opt for a Masters degree, which can be earned through coursework or through research. You can major in a particular area like crop science, animal technology, genetics and breeding, agricultural economics and plant nutrition among others. Usually students who are interested to teach or conduct research are the ones who study further. However, pursuing your education ahead will also open up new avenues at your employment front.

8. Helping Rural Communities

As mentioned earlier, this degree gives you a brilliant opportunity to give back to the community and make a difference in the society. With your degree you can provide support to the rural communities in India. Farmers in India have barely any idea about the changes in agricultural technology and are not aware about the development in the related areas. But, you can collaborate with NGOs and share information with the farmers on how to increase their yield and profits. This way you will be honouring one of the most significant professions in the world – farming.

9. A Relatively New Degree in India

While universities abroad have been offering Bachelor of Science in Agriculture for the last few years, in some cases for decades, this is a relatively new degree in India, which is an excellent scenario for the graduates. In the last few years, our nation has started taking the agricultural crisis seriously with Ministry of Agriculture working on several reforms and developments. With only a limited number of students pursuing this degree, you can work with the government on policies and field work, which will be a valuable addition to your CV.

 

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture is an interesting degree which gives an insight to an important global perspective when it comes to agricultural science and its related fields. Practical experience, technical knowledge, research work and development of soft skill sets are an important asset of this degree, which will act as an essential tool for your success in your professional life. With a variety of specializations available at the Bachelors as well as at the Masters level, you can gain in depth understanding in the field of your choice. As the employment rate in this industry continues to increase at a fast rate, be assured that your degree will only gain relevance and prominence in the coming decades.

Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan is among the few top Universities in India offering full time UG & PG programs in Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.