National Workshop on Eco-Friendly Use of Basic Slag and Fly Ash for Acid Soil Management hosted by ICAR-CRRI 
Basic slag and fly ash, a by-product of the steel industry, have long posed environmental challenges. SAFAR has introduced an innovative solution by converting these industrial wastes into EcoLime+, a soil amendment designed to manage acid soils, enhance farm productivity, and promote circular economy practices. The initiative is already operational across six districts of Odisha. With the aim and objective to extend it further to other districts, the ICAR–Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack, organised a national-level workshop on the eco-friendly utilisation of basic slag and fly ash for acid soil management as a prelude to the upcoming World Soil Day 2025 celebrations. The programme was conducted under the Government of Odisha-funded project SAFAR.
The workshop emphasised ICAR-CRRI’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, soil health improvement, and collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and industry partners. Discussions focused on developing a practical and scalable roadmap for upscaling EcoLime+ production and adoption at the field level. Stakeholders deliberated on opportunities and challenges related to raw material sourcing, production logistics, quality control, regulatory approvals, and market linkages. A consolidated set of recommendations will be submitted to the Government of Odisha for consideration as a state-level action plan to support large-scale acid soil management.
Shri Subhranshu Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, attended as Chief Guest and highlighted the importance of addressing acid soil challenges and the role of EcoLime in improving farm productivity. The programme was graced by Er. Debabrata Sethi, Environmental Engineer, SPCB Odisha and Dr. Aviraj Dutta, Scientist, ICRISAT Bhubaneswar, as Guests of Honour. The workshop was chaired by Dr. G.A.K. Kumar, Director, ICAR-CRRI.
Eighty-five participants attended the programme, including officials from the State Government, representatives from Tata Steel (Meramandali and Kalinganagar), Vedanta Pvt. Ltd., Harsco India Pvt. Ltd., PRANA Climatech Pvt. Ltd., RM Agrico, Start-ups-Biotez Pvt. Ltd., farmer producer organizations, and farmers from Angul, Dhenkanal, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Jajpur, and Cuttack Districts.
Dr. Pratap Bhattacharya, Head of the Crop Production Division and Principal Investigator of the SAFAR project, welcomed the dignitaries and outlined the workshop’s objectives. Dr. Manish Debnath, Organizing Secretary; Dr. Rubina Khanam and Dr. D.R. Sarangi Co-organizing Secretaries coordinated the programme.
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