Tripura Scientist Bats for Irrigation-Led Approach to African Rice Self-Sufficiency

Agartala, Oct 26: A scientist from Kailashahar in Tripura has advocated an irrigation-led approach to help African nations achieve rice self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on imports, underscoring the importance of efficient water management in improving agricultural productivity and strengthening food security.

Dr Deb, head of the Water and Climate Research Unit at the International Rice Research Institute's (IRRI) South Asia Regional Centre in Varanasi, presented a roadmap for enhancing rice production at the recently concluded Global Rice Policy Dialogue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Addressing policymakers, researchers and development experts, he stressed the need to identify regions with high agricultural potential and prioritise investments in irrigation infrastructure to improve crop yields rather than relying solely on expanding cultivated areas.

Efficient irrigation systems and scientific water-management practices could enable African countries to increase domestic rice production, improve farmers' incomes and strengthen resilience against climate-related challenges, he said.

The two-day dialogue, organised with the support of the African Union, IRRI, AfricaRice and the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, brought together policymakers and experts to deliberate on agricultural reforms, technological innovation and food-security challenges facing the continent.

As part of international research collaboration, Dr Deb is working with the Kenyan government to develop a framework for identifying regions where irrigation investments could deliver substantial agricultural benefits. The initiative aims to enhance productivity while promoting the sustainable use of water resources.

His research also focuses on agricultural water management in India. In Kerala, he is associated with a World Bank-supported initiative to digitally monitor water flows across a canal-irrigation network covering more than 20,000 hectares.

The project aims to improve water distribution and facilitate informed decisions on irrigation management.

Dr Deb is also collaborating with NASA scientists to validate data from the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission. The research seeks to combine satellite observations with agricultural and water-resource studies to strengthen irrigation planning, climate monitoring and crop management.

His work spans irrigation engineering, climate adaptation and sustainable farming, linking scientific research with practical solutions to agricultural challenges.

After completing his doctoral studies at the University of Newcastle in Australia, Dr Deb pursued postdoctoral research at the University of Alabama in the United States.

His international research collaborations focus on addressing food-security challenges through improved water management, technological innovation and sustainable agricultural practices.