ICRISAT scientist in list of most impactful leaders

ICRISAT scientist in list of most impactful leaders
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Highlights

Dr Suhas P Wani, Director of ICRISAT Development Centre at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has been honored as one of “50 Most Impactful Leaders in Water and Water Management” at the World Water Leadership Congress held in Mumbai recently.

Dr Suhas P Wani, Director of ICRISAT Development Centre at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has been honored as one of “50 Most Impactful Leaders in Water and Water Management” at the World Water Leadership Congress held in Mumbai recently.

The award was in recognition for Dr Wani’s years of dedication towards water conservation and management. With 35 years of service in ICRISAT, Dr Wani was one of the early pioneers in watershed management in India. “Earlier farm watersheds were implemented in different Indian States like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and revisited in 1995-96 to assess the impact. Based on the learnings, except in the use of fertiliser and improved seeds, farmers did not continue other interventions such as soil and water conservation.

In 1999, based on these experiences, a new model was developed for enabling community participation and evaluated at Adarsha Watershed in Kothapally,” noted Dr Wani. Since then, Dr Wani has led the field in the science of scaling-up and has made remarkable contributions to benefit millions of farmers in Asia, particularly in the area of sustainable agriculture for improving rural livelihoods.

He has been a catalyst, contributing to the creation of the Bhoochetana initiative in Karnataka, a strong partnership that reached 4.75 million farmers in five years, with a 20-66 per cent crop increase and total net benefits of $350 million.

“I am delighted to receive this award, which I think is a great recognition to our efforts towards water management especially in the dry lands where ICRISAT specialises,” said Dr Wani, who thanked his colleagues and our partner organisations in his message.

Outside of India, Dr Wani has helped thousands of farmers across several Asian countries including China, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Dr Wani currently heads the ICRISAT Development Center, which leverages large-scale uptake of science-backed technologies to achieve major impact in reducing poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation across Asia and Africa.

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