Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 6: A two-day symposium on geospatial approach to soil and land management, tiled ‘TerraGeo Symposium 2026’ was organized under HADP Project-19 at SKUAST Jammu.
Inaugurated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the symposium brought together leading scientists, academicians, policymakers, personnels from State line Departments, and young researchers to deliberate on the growing role of Geospatial Technologies in sustainable soil and land resource management.
Experts from IIT Jammu, SKUAST J & K, National Institute of Hydrology, Central University, Survey of India and other institutions deliberated in the two-day event.
During the technical sessions, distinguished scientists delivered keynote and invited lectures on diverse themes including digital soil mapping, machine learning applications in soil science, geostatistics and pedometrics, rainfall variability analysis using satellite data, rainwater harvesting site selection using spatial modeling, urbanization-induced environmental stress, glacier fluctuations, and cryosphere response to climate change.
Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu, B N Tripathi, highlighted ongoing research initiatives undertaken by SKUAST-Jammu in the field of geospatial soil and land resource assessment. Scientists from the university shared that the institution is actively using Machine Learning models and advanced geospatial tools to generate high-quality maps of soil properties, assess soil degradation, and conduct soil erosion mapping across the region.
Prof Vikas Sharma, PI of HADP 19 and Organizing Secretary of the event informed that the university has recently developed the first-ever Land Capability Classification map of Samba district, which provides a scientific basis for land use planning and agricultural development.
Prof Anil Kumar, Dean, Agriculture further noted that the work initiated in Samba district will gradually be expanded to other districts of the region, and research activities are already underway to achieve this goal.
Prof S K Gupta, Director Research, highlighted that these initiatives are being carried out with significant support from the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), which has invested in strengthening geospatial infrastructure, advanced analytical tools, and human resource development at the university.
Dr Vivak M Arya, Co-Investigator of the project, coordinated the event. Dr P K Rai and Dr Vikas Abrol managed individual technical sessions.
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