"It was a wonderful experience interacting with you and appreciate the way you have planned and executed the whole publication process within the agreed timelines.”
Subrat SaurabhAuthor of Kuch Woh Pal
Agroforestry in Karnataka – A Golden Opportunity for Green Growth highlights various aspects of agroforestry – a system of introduction, or rather reintroduction, of trees in and around agricultural lands in order to restore the ancient, organic relationship that existed between forest and agriculture. The book traces the evolution of agroforestry in the state of Karnataka in India and recounts the strides that have been made in this direction in the recent years. It dwells upon the multifarious beneficial effects of agroforestry on forest conservation, soil and water conservation, and development of agriculture, horticulture, sericulture, animal husbandry, apiculture, etc. Although agroforestry is seen as a very pragmatic step to increase the forest or tree cover, its benefits go far beyond: it has the potential of transforming the entire rural/agrarian landscape in terms of economic, ecological and environmental development. It is also likely to be the most befitting response to the challenges posed by climate change. It is difficult to visualize a climate-smart agricultural system without trees having been accorded a complementary but important role in it. In the coming days, agroforestry may hold the key to an overarching development in the agricultural sector, more particularly in the vast and expanding parched regions, where signs of desertification, drought, poverty, hunger and death are becoming increasingly ominous.
DIPAK SARMAH, IFS (Retd.)
Shri Dipak Sarmah, a retired Indian Forest Service (1977) officer of the Karnataka cadre, started his career in the Western Ghats, serving in the region for more than a decade. He also served in the Government of India as Deputy Adviser, Planning Commission and as Deputy Inspector General of Forests, Forest Policy, MoEF (1991-1995). Later he served in several positions in the Government of Karnataka, including Secretary (Forest), PCCF (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden, superannuating in December 2013 as PCCF (Head of Forest Force). Post-retirement, Shri Sarmah has been assisting the Forest Department in the preparation of several documents such as Working Plans, Evaluation Reports, Cadre Review Report, Training Action Plan, etc. He has also assisted the Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI), Bangalore, in compiling the State of Environment Report (SoER-2015) as chief editor. Shri Sarmah is the author of five books, namely, ‘Status of Forests of Karnataka,’ ‘Forestry in Karnataka - A Journey of 150 Years’, ‘Forests of Karnataka – A Panoramic View,’ ‘Wildlife Management in Karnataka – A Forester’s Perspective,’ and ‘Forestry in India during British Era – Karnataka Case-study’. In 2011, Shri Dipak Sarmah was nominated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India to the Monitoring Committee to supervise mining operations and the sale of ore in Karnataka. He continues to serve as the Chairman of the Committee till date. He is currently the President of the ‘Institution of Agroforestry Farmers and Technologists ® (IAFT)’, Bengaluru, a non-government forum to promote agroforestry.
