PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST (Soil & Water Conservation)

Name ATUL KUMAR SINGH
Date of Birth 13th March 1962
Address Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (ICAR)
Regional Research Station, Opp. KanshiramSmarak, Jail Road,
P.O. Dilkusha, LUCKNOW – 226002 U.P., India
E-mail :AK.Singh@icar.gov.in
Academic career
Degree/ Certificate University/Institution Year
Ph.D. (Water Resources) Institute of Engineering Technology, UPTU, Lucknow, U.P. 2011
M.Tech (Irrigation & Drainage Engineering Mahatma PhuleKrishiVidyapeeth, Rahuri, Maharastra 1987
B.Tech (Agricultural Engineering) Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab 1984

Principal Scientist Research & Extension ICAR ICAR-CSSRI Regional Research Station, Lucknow (UP) 7th Nov, 2014 to till date
Senior Scientist Research & Extension ICAR ICAR-CSSRI Regional Research Station, Lucknow (UP) & ICAR RCER, Patna, Bihar 1st February, 2001 to 6th November, 2014
Asst. Prof. (AgrilEngg.) Research, Teaching, Extension & Administration NDUA&T Deptt. Of AgrilEngg. and Crop Research Station,Basuli 24thMarch, 1992 to 31st January, 2001.
Asst. Prof. (AgrilEngg.) (onAdhoc basis) Teaching & Extension NDUA&T Deptt. Of AgrilEngg.
11th January, 1988 to 10th July, 1989

Priority research area of interst
On-farm water management, Pressurized Irrigation System, Agricultural Mechanization, Conservation Tillage, Farming System Research.
Research projects (in-house/external) in hands with name of funding agency
1. Handled approximately over 10 in house projects and around 10 externally funded projects in the capacity of PI/Co-PI in past.Externally funded projects were mainly sponsored by NATP and NAIP (through world bank), DFID, U.K., IRRI/USAID, Ministry of Water Resources Govt. of India, IDE (under SARI Energy programme), UPCAR etc.
2. Currently have one in house project as PI and one as Co-PI and two externally funded project as Co-PI funded by ICAR and UP CST.
Total publications
Research papers in referred journals 25
Research papers published in proceedings of workshops/symposium/conferences/compendiums  15
Book chapters 10
Popular articles 5
Training/Practical manuals 5
Technical reports and bulletins 5
Extension bulletins and pamphlets 10
Books (edited) 4
Transfer of technology & continuing education
(Teaching/mentoring activities)
Some of the major technologies/concepts attempted to transfer at farmers field
Raising Bund height to conserve rainwater
Use of water saving irrigation methods such as Sprinkler, drip and LEWA
Multiple uses of water to enhance land and water productivity of low lands
Use of laser leveller
Cage fish farming for wetland area
Judicious use of canal water below outlet level through formation of WUA (Water User Associations) and SHG (Self Help Groups, OMG (Outlet Management Groups)
Encouraging and revival of community tubewell concept in Vaishali district of Bihar
Formation of self help groups with focusing livelihood improvement aspect
Mushroom production by landless families
Poly house for raising early vegetable nursery and early summer crops
Establishment of KSK (KrishiSoochna Kendra)
Establishment of VSK (Village Soochna Kendra)
Use of Solar powered irrigation pump
Encouraging famers to adopt salt tolerant varieties of rice, wheat and mustard in sodic areas to enhance crop productivity

Extension (if any)
Organized and participated in several extensions programmes involving field demonstration of technologies, farmers training, MGMG,
Patents, Technology, Methodology, Genetic Stock, Variety, etc.
1. Patent filed for LEWA (Low Energy Water Application) device,
2. Copyright for developing GypCal mobile application in hindi and English.

Significant contributions relating to the relevant field of specialization
Significant contributions relating to the relevant field of specialization
1. Low Energy Water Application (LEWA) device developed focussing marginal and small farm holdings and close growing crops.The device operates in the operating pressure range of 0.4 Kg/cm2 to 0.6 Kg/cm2. Saving of water and energy reported.
2. The developed LEWA device integrated to develop and design a LEWA irrigation system to practice irrigation. The developed system tested, demonstrated, and applied in field at various locations and farmer’s field. Testing reported the system works within the pressure range of 1 Kg/cm2 – 1.5 Kg/cm2 depending upon the size of unit.
3. Irrigation scheduling practices developed for Tomato, Brinjal and Cabbage-Okra sequences, to promote use of drip irrigation in irrigated midlands and uplands of Bihar.
4. Cage fish farming for wetland area were refined, assessed and adopted to demonstrate multiple use of water options. The developed cage culture technology was refined depending upon the need of farmer’s and area. Under the project, bamboo (local material) used to fabricate the cage structure and mesh/net materials were used to enclose. The refined cage was immersed in a large water body (Chaur).
5. Development of Integrated Farming System models under of 0.5 acre, 1.0 acre, and 2 acre considering the types of holding and crop grown in eastern India for marginal and small farm holders. The 0.5-acre IFS model implemented and adopted by the farmer by utilizing waterlogged unutilized land.
6. Participatory Water Management process developed and applied in Sone Command. WUAs, SHGs, OMGs (outlet management groups), and other interest groups formed and exposed to the concept of utilizing rainwater, discouraging field to field irrigation, multiple use of water, checking the free flow of canal water, conjunctive use of rain, canal and groundwater etc. Farmers reported reduction in number of irrigation, increased availability of water at tailreaches and enhancing income from unproductive lands.
7. Irrigation Scheduling practices developed for Rice and Wheat grown under sodic soils.
8. Developed GypCal mobile applications in hindi and english to estimate gypsum and leaching requirement for sodic soils.
9. Organized short courses, 21 day training programme/winter school involving researchers, extension workers, state govt. personnel, farmers trainings and delivered lectures as resource person to enhance participant knowledge in the field of water management, supervised B. Tech (AgrilEngg.) students of SAUs to undertake one month summer practical training.


Contact

Email: ak.singh@icar.gov.in