Abstract:
The planet is heading for a serious shortage fresh water, essential for the production of food, drinking purposes and the very existence of civilization. During 50 s, per capita of available ground water in India was approximately 5000 cubic meter/yr, now it has been plummeted down to 1300 cubic meter/capita/yr; which is alarming no doubt. To produce one Kg of rice, the amount of water required is 4000 liters, and that for meat the water footprint is 9000 liters. The crux of our challenges is how to produce around 550 million tons of food grain by 2050 over the present 324 million tons, from less and lesser water; small and smaller holding. The other challenge is ensuring food and nutritional security for the millions, especially for rural women of India. Millet is the magic seed and crops up as the savior seed for millions. It saves water since I Kg of millet seeds needs just 400 liters of water. Millet offers minimum disturbance to soil since it cal well be grown with no or minimum tillage. It is so crucial when India is experiencing a soil erosion of 15-20 tons/ha/yr due to unplanned mechanization in agriculture. Its low GI value is a better choice for diabetic people; its rich mineral contents can mitigate the need for iron, zinc and calcium. Let’s make revisit millet in our dietary habit, cropping sequence and restoration of our ecological resilience. In the face of water crisis, soil erosion, biodiversity losses, enhancing diabetic problem and appalling nutritional deficiency, millet sounds as a magic seed with wonders and utilities. The scenario is now prevalent almost every corner of the planet and getting worse every day passes on.
Key words: Millets, Soil Erosion, Water Foot Print, Soil Disruption, Malnutrition
Biography:
Prof. (Dr.) Sankar Kr Acharya, He was the former Head, Dept. of Agril. Extension and Director, Extension Education, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, WB, born on 6th October, 1960, started his career as Assistant Professor at BCKV in 1988 and has been in teaching, research and extension more than 37 years. An erudite teacher as well as an elegant speaker, is internationally acclaimed for his unique research domain of Social Entropy and Energy Metabolism, Social Ecology and Environmental Sociology, Enterprise Ecology Framework, Conservation Stewardships: Research Publication: 261 in National and International Journals. Book Publication: 132 books authored. So far, he has delivered 49 keynote addresses and chaired 57 sessions in National and International congresses.
Expert Member, Agriculture Commission; Marketing and Extension Sub Committee, Govt. of West Bengal; Expert member WWF projects in BTR (Buxa Tiger Reserve Project); Expert member; DFID project on Primary Education (DPEP); Rapid Environment Impact Analysis.Co-PI of ICAR, NAHEP and World Bank funded project on Conservation Agriculture.So, far he has successfully guided 23 Ph D scholars and 97 M Sc scholars. He is the Fellow of ISEE, IARI, New Delhi, Fellow, BIOVED, Allahabad; Fellow, Society of community mobilization, IARI, New Delhi; Fellow, SEE, Agra. He is the Fellow, West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology (WAST), 2024 He is now acting as editor, reviewer of several national and international journals Awards and Distinctions: Distinguish Scholar Award, Krishisanskriti, New Delhi; Certificate of Merit for standing First class first at M Sc (Ag) in Agricultural Extension, 1986; Honorary Appointment to the Research Board of Advisors, The American Biographic Institute (2003); He has been honored to be selected as the Convener of Panel (PE-32) entitled the hunger, poverty and silence, of World Congress, IUAES, University of Manchester, UK, 2013; He has been honoured to be selected as the Convener of Panel (P-102) entitled, Uncertainties, Unpredictability and Marginalization: The impact and mitigation for survival of agriculture and humanity, of the 19th World Congress, IUAES-WAU, 14-20 October, 2023, New Delhi, India, 2023; Honoured to be nominated as Expert Member, Working group on Agricultural Extension, West Bengal State Agriculture Commission (2007); Honoured to be nominated by the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, BCKV to Act as an Expert Member, DPEP, A DFID, UK, project for planning and revamping primary education through POA of GOVT of India.(1995)Expert Member, Buxa Tiger Reserve Project funded by WWF(World Wide Wild Life Funding), 1998.
Dr Daulat Singh Memorial Award, Society of Extension Education, Distinguished Professor and Academician Award, Research Education Solution (RES), M S Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University (2022); Eminent Scientist Award, EIABT, Citwan Nepal, Teaching Excellence Award, in International Conference organized by IGFRI, Jhansi, ICAR& Maya Devi University, Dehradun (RAABASED). He is also the Expert Member, Research Council, Vidyasagar University, WB. Achievers of German patent (Utility model no.20202310273): Novel LOT based inventory management system with radio-controlled pallet racking for storage solution. Achievers of patent on, Vertical Phenotyping Devices for Spice Crops (Design no. 469756-001, dated 14-8-25) On academic missions, he visited Italy, France, Germany, China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Malaysia He has a rich profile of editorial and reviewers’ contributions a different national and international Journals. Recently, he delivered the Keynote address in Zurich, Switzerland International conference on Conservation Agriculture and renewable energy, June 22-23, 2025.
