Strengthening Watershed Governance: TERI Hosts 3rd Annual REWARD Stakeholder Workshop in Karnataka

The third-year Annual Stakeholder Workshop on Process Monitoring under the Rejuvenating Watershed for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD) programme was successfully conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute, supported by the Watershed Development Department (WDD), Government of Karnataka.

Held on 22 April 2026 at the Royal Orchid Resort and Convention Centre, Bengaluru, the one-day workshop brought together 157 participants from across Karnataka. The attendees included Commissioner, Director of WDD, Joint Directors of Agriculture (JDAs), Deputy Directors of Agriculture (DDAs), Assistant Directors of Agriculture (ADAs), along with TERI professionals.

The programme commenced with a welcome address by Mr. Senthil Kumar, Senior Fellow, TERI. The workshop was formally inaugurated by Sri Upendra Pratap Singh, IFS, Commissioner, WDD, and Sri Shailesh Ganeshrao Tembhurnikar, IFS (Retd.), Distinguished Fellow, TERI.

A key highlight of the workshop was a series of technical presentations focusing on programme monitoring and thematic insights. Mr. H H Ninga Setty, Field Manager, TERI, presented on the progress and implementation of process monitoring under the REWARD programme. This was followed by a thematic session led by Mr. Sanketh K V, Research Associate, TERI, on “Agro-advisory and LRI Services – Adoption and Achievements under the REWARD Programme.” The session also featured two success story videos, showcasing impactful field-level outcomes.

The workshop provided a platform to review annual progress and engage stakeholders, with discussions focused on analysing field data to assess the dissemination, adoption, and effectiveness of agro-advisories. Key outcomes included mid-course corrections and gap analysis, strengthening implementation through improved efficiency, informed decision-making, accountability, quality assurance, stakeholder engagement, and alignment with programme objectives.

Such initiatives continue to strengthen sustainable and resilient watershed governance in Karnataka.