Natural Farming
Science-led natural farming assessment and wider field adoption.
Professor · Agronomist · Extension Scientist
Dr. Purushottam Kumar
Professor (Agronomy) & Head, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Haridwar
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar
About
Agronomist, Teacher & Extension Scientist
Agronomist, teacher and extension scientist with over three decades of service in agricultural research, technology transfer and farmer development across the western Himalayan region and the Uttarakhand plains.
Doctorate in Agronomy from CSKHPKV, Palampur (1994). Began his career at HPKV Palampur in 1995 and joined G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar in 2006, serving as Agronomist and Officer-in-Charge of the Hill Research & Extension Centre, Srinagar, before taking charge as Professor (Agronomy) and Head of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Haridwar.
His work spans grassland and forage improvement, rainfed cropping systems, natural farming, watershed development, protected cultivation and rural entrepreneurship. His submitted record lists twenty externally funded projects supported by ICAR, NABARD, DST, RKVY, HMNEH and state departments, and more than 120 research papers, popular articles, book chapters, booklets and technical bulletins in English and Hindi.
- Specialisation
- Agronomy
- Present position
- Professor (Agronomy) & Head, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Haridwar
- University
- G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar
- Experience
- 30+ years
- 120+
- Publications
- 30+
- Years of service
- 20
- Listed projects
- 13
- Awards & honours
Research & Expertise
Areas of enduring inquiry
A career connecting agronomic science, natural resource stewardship and practical rural development.
Sustainable Agronomy
Productive cropping systems shaped for long-term farm resilience.
Rainfed Systems
Crop management strategies for rainfed and weather-variable regions.
Grassland & Forage
Improvement of natural grasslands and quality forage production.
Watershed Development
Resource-efficient watershed planning and land improvement.
Protected Cultivation
Assessment of improved vegetable production technologies.
Rural Enterprise
Enterprise development in beekeeping, mushroom, poultry and processing.
Skills & Extension
Practical learning for farmers, farm women and rural youth.
Education
Academic Journey
A first-division academic foundation culminating in doctoral study in Agronomy.
1985
Intermediate (Agriculture)
U.P. Board, Allahabad
63.5% — First Division
1988
B.Sc. Ag. (Hons.)
Meerut University, Meerut
67.9% — First Division
1990
M.Sc. Ag. (Agronomy)
Meerut University, Meerut
76.8% — First Division
1994
Ph.D. (Agronomy)
CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur
73.7% — First Division, OGPA 7.37/10
Career
Professional Journey
Three decades of advancement across agricultural research, education and extension in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Jan 1995 – Jan 1999
Assistant Agronomist
CSKHPKV, Palampur (Himachal Pradesh)
Field research on maize, pulses, oilseeds and improved grass species.
Jan 1999 – Jan 2004
Assistant Agronomist (Senior Scale)
CSKHPKV, Palampur (Himachal Pradesh)
Grassland renovation, forage agronomy and farmer advisory work.
Jan 2004 – Feb 2006
Agronomist
CSKHPKV, Palampur (Himachal Pradesh)
Research and extension, rainfed farming systems and watershed programmes.
Feb 2006 onwards
Agronomist / Officer-in-Charge, HREC Srinagar
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar
Research and extension in hill agriculture, horticulture and cropping systems.
Present
Professor (Agronomy) & Head, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Haridwar
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar
Leads the district Krishi Vigyan Kendra: on-farm research, frontline demonstrations, farmer and youth training, natural farming and skill development programmes.
From Research to the Field
Science translated into practical agricultural progress.
- 01
Research
- 02
Technology Assessment
- 03
Demonstration
- 04
Farmer Training
- 05
Agricultural Impact
Funded Work
Research & Development Projects
Twenty externally funded projects with approximately ₹267.77 lakh in recorded sanctioned funding.
PI
Completed
Production of quality seed and planting material including land races of horticultural crops to enhance productivity in the hills of Uttarakhand
RKVY, Government of Uttarakhand, Dehradun
₹58.33 lakh
PI
Completed
Formation of Farmer Producer Organization
NABARD
₹10.00 lakh
PI
Ongoing
Krishi Kalyan Abhiyan for aspirational district
ICAR
₹30.00 lakh
PI
Ongoing
Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture (ARYA)
ICAR
₹47.00 lakh
PI
Ongoing
Out-scaling of natural farming
ICAR
₹8.54 lakh
PI
Ongoing
National Mission on Natural Farming
ICAR
₹3.60 lakh
Research & Publications
A substantial record of scholarship
120+ research papers, books, chapters, popular articles and technical publications.
Selected peer-reviewed papers in national and international journals.
- 01
Kumar, Purushottam and Sood, B.R. (1998). Renovation of Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Beauv. dominant natural grassland through the introduction of improved grass species. Indian J. Agron. 43(1): 183-187.
- 02
Kumar, Purushottam and Sood, B.R. (1997). Co-relation studies on various growth and quality parameters of Panicum maximum Jacq. and Setaria anceps Stapf ex Massey introduced grassland. Forage Research 22(4): 243-247.
- 03
Kumar, Purushottam and Sood, B.R. (2000). Production potential and quality of natural grasslands as influenced by introduction techniques and improved grass species. Him. J. Agric. Res. 26(1&2): 33-39.
- 04
Kumar, Purushottam, Sood, B.R. and Singh, L.N. (2000). Introduction of superior grasses in natural grassland of hills. Indian Farming 49(10): 16-17.
- 05
Kumar, Purushottam and Puri, U.K. (2000). Production potential of Festuca arundinacea as affected by cutting and nitrogen management under rainfed conditions. J. Farming System Research & Development 6(1&2): 98-99.
- 06
Kumar, Purushottam and Puri, U.K. (2000). Effect of nitrogen and farmyard manure application on maize (Zea mays) varieties. Indian J. Agron. 46(2): 255-259.
- 07
Kumar, Purushottam and Puri, U.K. (2002). Response of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) varieties to phosphorus and farmyard manure application. Indian J. Agron. 47(1): 86-88.
- 08
Kumar, Purushottam, Chaudhary, J.B. and Gupta, Manoj (2003). Yield and economics of rainfed mustard-chickpea intercropping system under the low hills sub-tropical zone of Himachal Pradesh. J. Farming System Research and Development 8(1): 134-135.
- 09
Kumar, Purushottam (2003). Ginger — a potential cash crop for Himachal Pradesh. Indian Farming 53(2): 15-156.
- 10
Kumar, Purushottam and Gupta, Manoj (2004). Crop management strategies under aberrant weather conditions in rainfed areas of Himachal Pradesh. Indian Farming 54(2): 28-30.
- 11
Kumar, Purushottam and Gupta, Manoj (2005). Productivity and economics of different cropping systems under rainfed conditions of the low hills of the western Himalayan region. J. Farming System Research and Development 11(1): 80-81.
- 12
Gupta, Manoj and Kumar, Purushottam (2004). Ginger production in Himachal Pradesh: constraints and possibilities. Agricultural Situation in India, September 2004: 393-396.
- 13
Gupta, Manoj, Sharma, K.D. and Kumar, Purushottam (2007). Economic feasibility of strawberry cultivation in Himachal Pradesh. Him. J. Agric. Res. 33(1): 55-59.
- 14
Gupta, Manoj, Kumar, Purushottam and Rana, Rachita (2007). Role of agroforestry in fodder production in Himachal Pradesh. Indian J. of Agroforestry 9(2): 81-86.
- 15
Kalia, V., Chandel, K. and Kumar, P. (2005). Effect of scarification treatment on germination of shrubby stylo (Stylosanthes scabra) seeds. Seed Res. 33(1): 119.
- 16
Kumar, P. and Aggarwal, J.P. Response of lentil (Lens esculenta) to Rhizobium inoculation, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization. Indian J. Agron. 38(2): 317-318.
- 17
Kumar, P., Aggarwal, J.P. and Chandra, S. Effect of inoculation, nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and yield of lentil. Lens Newsletter 20(1): 57-59.
- 18
Kumar, P., Aggarwal, J.P. and Sood, B.R. Effect of inoculation, nitrogen and phosphorus on lentil (Lens culinaris). Indian J. Agron. 40(3): 520-521.
Recognition
Awards, Honours & Recognition
Member, site selection committee of Krishi Vigyan Kendra for western Uttar Pradesh
Member, Regional Advisory Group Meeting held at NABARD, Dehradun on 21 February 2018
Best Scientist Award for 2011–12 and 2012–13 for outstanding contribution in transfer of technology in agriculture
Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Krishi Vigyan Protsahan Puraskar 2016–17 by ICAR
Certificate of appreciation for contribution in FET, 8–28 February 2016, by NAARM, Hyderabad
Best Presentation Award in Zonal Workshop 2017, ICAR-ATARI, Kanpur
Certificate of Second Best KVK Award 2019 (Zonal) from Director, ICAR-ATARI, Ludhiana
Certificate of appreciation for great efforts from Director, ICAR-ATARI, 15 February 2021
Agri Extension Award 2021 by Agriculture Today Group
Appreciation for attaining first rank in KKA and KKAI by ICAR-ATARI, Ludhiana
Best KVK Award 2024 from Director, ICAR-ATARI, Ludhiana
Certificate of Appreciation 2026 from Director, ICAR-ATARI, Ludhiana
Best Worker Award by the District Magistrate, Haridwar
From Science to the Field
Extension & Farmer Impact
Work with farmers, farm women and rural youth through the Krishi Vigyan Kendra system.
Farmer training & capacity building
Lectures and hands-on training for farmers, farm women and rural youth on agronomy, natural farming, protected cultivation, mushroom production, beekeeping and post-harvest handling.
On-farm research & demonstrations
Frontline demonstrations, technology assessment and refinement trials, and AICRP-IFS on-farm research across the Haridwar district.
Field days & diagnostic visits
Field days and diagnostic field visits reaching thousands of farmers, supported by advisory services and soil health interventions.
Youth & skill development
ARYA programme and ASCI-supported skill courses creating agri-enterprises in beekeeping, mushroom cultivation, poultry and processing.
Institution & collaboration
Farmer Producer Organization formation with NABARD, collaborative programmes with state departments, DST-supported livelihood work and watershed development.
Photo Gallery
A Journey Through the Field
Selected moments from professional life and field engagement.
Science That Reaches the Field
Research becomes meaningful when knowledge is translated into practical solutions for farmers and rural communities.
Contact
Let’s Connect
Professional enquiries and institutional correspondence are welcome.