The department of Soil and Water Conservation was established with a view to enhance capacity building in the field of protection of natural resources against degradation in various forms and conservation of these precious and finite natural resources like soil and water.

The published literatures on research works of the Department on maintenance of soil health have been impressive and earned national and international reputation.

In addition, the Department has also achieved to expand its activities in the following sectors.

• Instructional Material developed: Development of Alley Cropping in 0.5 Ha area in the Jaguli Instruction Farm, Mohanpur strated for practical demonstration to students of 1^st yr, B, Sc. (Ag.) Hons., while catering course entitled” Introduction to Forestry”
• Projects on use of Jute caddies & Agro geo textile implemented in University farms and actual farming situations
• Agricultural drainage modeling done with installation of recharge cum irrigation well in actual farming situations on watershed basis.
• Established “KRISHI BAN” agricultural practices in laterite soils.
• More than 200 students passed masters’ degree and 60 students completed Ph. D. curriculum from this Department
• Pass out students have been absorbed in responsible administrative positions like Director, Registrar/ manager, commissioners in government and Non government organizations; Teachers, Professors, SMS, Technicians, in academic institutions etc.
• Establishment of West Bengal Chapter of Soil Conservation Society of India.

• Excellence of Best Performance Centre from ICAR to Dr. P.K.Dhara for running the AICRP on Agroforestry
• Dr. P.K.Dhara & Dr. N.C. Das as Head of the Dept. were invited as resource persons in Television talk (PRASAR BHARATI) on popularization of Agroforestry
• Teachers are recognized academic expert by different other Institutes/Universities viz.,  Central Agricultural University, Manipur Visva–Bharati; Vidyasagar University; Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya; Tripura agricultural University,  Kalyani university etc
• S.K.De elected as Councilor of Soil Conservation Society of India for the period 2011-23.
• Teachers are recognized reviewer of different Scientific Journals viz.,African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation & Development (AJSTID).
• Teachers are Member of different Scientific Societies viz., Soil Conservation Society of India; Indian Association Hydrologists; Society of Fertilizer and Environments; Crop and Weed Science Society of India
• S. K. De, Professor was awarded Fellow of the Society of SCSI, India, 2019.
• N. C. Das, Head of the Dept.of Soil and Water Conservation was assigned to act as an Agricultural expert to join an interactive discussion with the World Bank Team on 13-02-2017. World Bank approved 400 million dollar assistance to the Govt. of West Bengal.

• Appraisal of soil erodibilities under various soils, physiographic, climatic, vegetative condition and their relationships with the soil properties.
• Multiplication studies on integrated nutrient management under various tillage, mulching and water stress situations.
• Effect of land shaping and tillage for increasing ground nut productivity under red and lateritic zone of West Bengal.
• Efficiency of pitcher pot irrigation as a low cost alternative to pressurized irrigation system on back yard vegetable crops under rainfed situation for development of backward community.
• Development of earthen seepage well or surface runoff under tank towards storage and recycling of used water.
• Use of geotextiles as soil conditioner towards improvement of soil health through the processes of increasing the organic carbon, moisture availability better aggregation and stabilization of soil aggregation.
• Influence of drip irrigation for improving water use efficiencies on banana and guava crops through reduction of evapotranspiration.
• Water requirement of tube rose (Polianthes tuberose L.) in the alluvial soil was assessed for recommendation to the farming community for profitable flower production.
• The various parameters of soil was diagnose for determining the hydraulic conductivity of soil under different agriculture and agro-silvicultural systems.
• Design criteria for land shaping and soil construction in new alluvial zone.
• Development of mango based agroforestry systems in the soils under red and lateritic soils of West Bengal and nutritional enrichment of rural backward masses occupying under red and lateritic zones of West Bengal
• Drip irrigation at 100% crop evapotranspiration with full recommended dose of NPK fertilizers, of which N was applied through drip irrigation was found most promising and economic to the guava grower for achieving higher fruit yield and water use efficiency of the crop.

Milestone :

To encourage research activities on the following heads:

• Encourage research on devising methods of water harvesting and mitigation of flood in W.B.
• Adoption of micro-irrigation system towards increasing water use efficiency
• Improvement of water quality for irrigation and domestic purposes.
• To increase area under agro-forestry
• Recharging of underground aquifer.
• Recycling of waste water through pitcher irrigation system.
• Identification of micro watersheds
• To restore inherent soil health by adoption of extensive organic farming.
• Experiments are the interpreter of nature. Conservation is the strategic path of creation. We conserve soil and water for the future civilizations to come