In his inaugural speech Dr. B.K Das, Director, emphasized on the need of balanced use of manures, fertilizers, other chemicals and maintenance of soil health towards achieving sustainable production. As Guest-of-Honour Dr. J. C. Tarafdar, former National Fellow and Principal Scientist, ICAR-CAZRI delivered a highly informative lecture on ‘Nanofertilizer: Key Player for Global Food Production’ in which he narrated with experimental results how the nanofertilizers could be highly effective in terms of enhanced nutrient use efficiency, increased crop yield, reduced expenditure and less environmental pollution..

Dr. R. K. Basak, Retd. Professor, BCKV and Chief Guest of the programme delivered his talk mainly directed towards the farmers who came here from different districts of West Bengal and are engaged in farming as well as aquaculture. He stressed upon the immediate need of applying organic matter in the form of FYM, compost, vermi-compost, poultry manure and other possible source to improve the soil health which has detoriated over the years in most parts of the county due to continuous use of inorganic fertilizers..

But he cautioned about the form and the dose of the manures to be applied to get the desired result. Prof. Basak also discussed about the management of pond soils and emphasised the need of soil and water testing before adopting any remedial measure. On the occasion ICAR-CIFRI distributed Water and Soil Health Cards with recommendation of the measures to be taken to maintain the water quality and soil health to the managers eight wetlands in West Bengal viz., .