Q) Why is so much importance attached to the on-going three-day Global Water Meet 2016 in Dharwad? What is your role in this summit?
A) I suggested about this event to the Vice Chancellor of University of Agricultural Sciences about a year ago. Everywhere there is a conflict for water as there is water crisis everywhere due to climate change which now causes erratic rains. We need to develop a real way of conflict resolution on water through a proper global dialogue. So I suggested about the global meet to the vice chancellor of this university and he took my suggestion. I think this is our joint endeavor with universities, activists, the Karnataka Government, the Government of India. Scientists, researchers, academics, policy makers, and practitioners from across the country and other countries, senior officers of Ministries of Water Resources and Agriculture have come here to discuss about the agrarian perspectives on climate change adaptation. Climate change cannot be discussed without discussing water because climate is water and water is climate. The only way to face the real challenge of climate change is that all those practitioners who work in different ways in the field of water across the globe should meet here and discuss their practices. They all deserve respect and the governments should also take benefit of their knowledge. To execute the Paris agreement as well as the Sustainable Development Goal 2030 it is important to respect the community, and the knowledge system of each country. Indigenous knowledge too has great history. Going only by technology and engineering will never offer any solution to climate change adaptation but instead are creating more complications. This global water meet is actually to offer solution to the complications that we are facing in form of climate change and water conflict.
Q) What are the major pluses of the event thus far (today is the second day of the three-day event)?
A) The major plus of the event is the sharing of different practices prevailing in different countries under one roof. For example, China today shared its approach for increasing soil moisture by increase of soil organic matter and that the Chinese government too is moving more towards organic farming. Similarly, the speaker from Portugal spoke about Community driven decentralized water management model at places where there was no water by respecting the Nature. The person from Iran shared his knowledge and so on. We have successfully brought together to this meet all those different models of community driven decentralized climate change adaptation work, and water resource management practices from all continents of the world and also from different parts of our country that respected nature. We brought all those presentations that respected the diversity of Agro ecological climatic zone. The Indian government too made a presentation about its work and plans in the field of water resources in this meet.
Q) How hopeful are you about the recommendations of the meet to be acceptable globally?
A) Nature is one and we need to have its global model. Our planning should revolve around One Planet, One Water, One Nature concept. We need to present Else our problems will increase.
Q) The deliberations here have focused on issues concerned to 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP-22) to the United Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Morocco in November this year. Already we have seen many overlaps in Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the Paris Convention. How do you look at these overlaps? How do you look at the present Global Water Meet in this light?
A) No. In this Global Water Meet, in a way the decisions are being taken by the practitioners. There will be no overlapping in this Global Water Meet. You know that in the Paris meet (COP-21), they included water as an issue only after our protests. Initially they were not even discussing water. We had drawn a clear cut strategy that “Without Water, No Climate -- Climate is Water and Water is climate”. Without water you cannot discuss climate. Finally we got success and in Paris Agreement, they included water in the middle. Now there will be discussions on water. And there will be a separate dialogue on water in Morocco. This new change that has taken place now was because of our movement. Now water is at the centre of discussion and the discussion on water in Morocco will have large impact. The Paris Agreement compliments the SDGs. SDG is a policy. Our Global Water Meet in that respect is meant to take decisions on execution. We will place the finding of this meet before the Morocco Convention.
Q) What are the immediate challenges for climate change adaptation vis a vis agricultural production?
A) Studies now show that an 8 per cent GDP growth in agriculture ensures return of the same government after elections. But 8 per cent GDP cannot be achieved without water and without improving the soil health. Maximum attention should be given to agriculture. We need to develop farming by making climate adaptation as base.
Q) But may I point that in India not much study is made on regional, local level impact on climate change on crops production.
A) Yes. Of course, this is a big challenge. This is a reason why we have failed to decide ecological flow of our rivers. We require thorough research on climate change impacts.
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