P.C. Abhilash is currently affiliated as an Assistant Professor of sustainability science at the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, and ...
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ CEM Agroecosystems Specialist Group
Vue d'ensemble et description
Description:
The Agroecosystems Specialist Group promotes sustainable agricultural practices and agrobiodiversity management under changing climatic conditions and encourages ecosystem based approaches and ...
Leadership de groupe
Dr PC ABHILASH
P.C. Abhilash is currently affiliated as an Assistant Professor of sustainability science at the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, and chair of the Agroecology Specialist Group of the Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM), Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥. His research interest lies primarily in the area of exploring ecological solutions for sustainability and thereby achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs). Specifically, he is interested in the restoration of marginal and degraded lands for regaining ecosystem services and resilience, sustainable utilization of ago-biodiversity (i.e., lesser-utilized wild and neglected plants) for food and nutrition security, pollution in agricultural systems (pesticides and plastic pollution), nature-based solutions, and ecosystem-based adaptations for climate-resilient and planet-healthy food production, and urban ecology and complexity. He is also interested in policy research and realignment, sustainability analysis, sustainability indicators, circular economy principles, and localization of the UN-SDGs. He is the founding Editor-in-Chief of Anthropocene Science at Springer Nature and also serves on the Editorial Boards of leading journals in Ecology, Environment, and Sustainability at leading publishers like Wiley, Elsevier, and Springer Nature. He has visited Sao Paulo State University, Brazil; Beijing Normal University, China; and the University of Sharjah, UAE, as a visiting professor for short stints and taught courses for Masters and PhD students. He is an elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) and the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), India, and have received prestigious young scientist awards in the country like the INSA Medal for Young Scientist, the NASI-Platinum Jubilee Young Scientist Award, the ICAR-Lal Bahadur Shastri Young Scientist Award, the HIYOSHI Young Ecologist Award, and the Malviya Memorial Young Faculty Award of BRSI. He has been involved with various UN agencies (UN-IPBES, IRP-UNEP, UNDP-BES Network, IPCC, UNCCD), and other international organizations such as APN, GLP, and Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Commissions (CEM, CEC, CEESP, and SSC) for fostering global sustainability.
Prof Terence DAWSON
This group will act as a platform for bringing together various stakeholders in the field to share their knowledge and experience. Also, this group is envisioned to support Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ for framing suitable strategies for the adaptive management of agroecosystems under changing climate.
The major objectives of this group are:
- Understand the complex and interconnected linkages between agriculture, biodiversity and ecosystem management
- Conduct ecological risk assessment of agroecosystems under changing climatic conditions
- Integrate landscape ecology and ecosystem-based approaches to support agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services of agricultural systems
- Manage wetlands for sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and other ecosystem services
- Foster sustainable and resource conservation technologies (i.e., organic agriculture, low external input system agriculture (LEISA), integrated crop management (ICM) and ecological agriculture etc.) to enhance the productivity of existing farmlands and reduce the environmental trade-offs
- Popularize information technology for precision farming and sustainable agroecosystem management
- Encourage adaptive and climate resilient agricultural practices to enhance the food production and nutritional quality under changing climatic conditions
- Recommend sustainable use of agro-residues for multipurpose environmental benefits
- Formulate sustainable strategies to restore degraded system for agricultural extensification
- ÌýSupport Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ for preparing policy briefs, status reports and action plans on above themes for various governmental and intergovernmental agenciesÌý
Action Plans:
- Create a network of vibrant and active group of professionals (scientists, academicians, policy makers etc.) working on above themes from various agro-climatic regions of the world
- Publish quarterly Newsletter on ‘Agricultural Ecosystems’
- Conduct workshops, training/ awareness/sensitization programs etc. on sustainable agriculture, climate resilient agriculture, agrobiodiversity management, agroforestry, integrated nutrient management, ecological pest management, sustainable resource conservation technologies etc. with the active involvements of various regional/national/and international agricultural organizations
- Involve members of ‘Young Professionals Network’ of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥-CEM and other Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ commissions for various activities of the group
- Prepare policy briefs and status reports on various aspects of agricultural ecosystems (i.e. sustainable agriculture practices for various agro-climatic regions of the world, conservation and management strategies for agrobiodiversity, climate resilient crop varieties, climate resilient agriculture etc.)
- Support the activities of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥-CEM and also provide voluntary helps for the ongoing and forthcoming regional/global assessments of various agencies such as UN, IPBES, UNDP, IPCC, FAO etc.
Get Involved:
We encourage Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥-CEM members and other professionals interested in above objectives to join this specialist group on ‘Agro-ecosystems’ and exchange innovative ideas, contribute their opinions and apply their expertise for sustainable management of agricultural ecosystems, or simply share updates about their projects and programs on sustainable and climate resilient agricultural activities and resource conservation technologies. ContactÌýPC AbhilashÌý
All shared news will be published in our quarterly Newsletter ‘Agro-ecosystems’. You can find the first issue on the resources page.