Minister inaugurates HSS-Manuvikasa Water and Environment Learning Centre
Karnataka’s first practical agriculture learning campus
In March 2021, Hanns Seidel Foundation in partnership with Manuvikasa, a leading grassroots environmental organization from Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, took up the initiative to develop a learning centre with an aim to provide the communities and farmers with up-to-date information and in-depth knowledge about integrated water resources management (IWRM), sustainable agriculture, and climate change. After months of construction works and installation of technical equipment, by December 2021 the development of the learning centre was complete.
Outside view of the Water & Environment Learning Centre
This is a unique initiative in the region: For the first time, an open campus provides know-how and tangible technical solutions for agriculture. Everyone can visit the centre to a hands-on experience of new, efficient irrigation methods, water storage options and climate-resilient agriculture. The team of Manuvikasa is available to inform about installation and financing options as well as the environmental benefits. In a great ceremony, the centre was inaugurated on 24 January 2022. Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, the Hon’ble Speaker of the Karnataka State Assembly, cut the ribbon and appreciated the efforts of Manuvikasa in developing the centre. He expressed confidence that it would provide necessary inputs to students, farmers and researchers to learn more about water management practices and other environmental issues.
Ribbon cutting by the Hon'ble Speaker
Hon'ble Deputy Consul General delivering his video message
Friedrich Birgelen, Deputy Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany to Karnataka and Kerala congratulated HSS and Manuvikasa for development and inauguration of the centre. He emphasised that such initiative had absolute support from Germany. He said, the centre would provide opportunities for farmers, students, scholars to educate themselves about efficient farming techniques and other valuable tools to promote sustainable economy. It was a noble task to not only increase prosperity for everyone, but to lead to a more sustainable lifestyle.
During the inauguration event, an Approach Paper on Integrated Watershed Management was further unveiled by Shri Shivaram Hebbar, the Hon’ble Labour Minister of Karnataka. The Paper was developed by the College of Forestry and the Foundation’s partner Manuvikasa based on a household survey of 450 farmers of Uttara Kannada. Other dignitaries present in the inauguration event were Shri C. M. Nimbannavar, Member of Legislative Assembly and Shri Shantaram Siddhi, Member of Legislative Council, Karnataka, who termed the development of learning centre a major milestone for the region and for Manuvikasa.
Unveiling of Approach Paper by Hon'ble Labour Minister of Karnataka
Around 350 participants from 5 blocks of Uttara Kannada joined the event. Most of them were farmers. They visited the campus and observed the functioning of different environment-friendly technologies such as solar-powered water heater. The learning centre will be used now for training the farmers and facilitating the visits of the experts and scholars who are interested in studying the local water management practices and biodiversity and getting exposure to different water and environmental technologies installed on the campus. Manuvikasa is planning to construct accommodation space for about 25 people. HSS and Manuvikasa will keep upgrading the resources and facilities to make it more user-friendly and accessible. It will become a state-of-the-art water conservation technology centre to promote IWRM practices and sustainable agriculture.