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| Dr.K.P.Prabhakaran Nair, East Hill, Kozhikode |
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What the traditional farmer in his wisdom has known, Dr.K.P.Prabhakaran Nair has put into a scientific perspective: cultivate by knowing the soil.
His ‘Nutrient Buffer Power’ concept is simply a quantification of the ability of the soil to produce necessary minerals. And once this quantity is known it is easier to convince the chemical fertilizer users that some part of the nutrients will be produced by the soil itself. Thus the use of such fertilizers can be considerably reduced.
By following his concept, Turkey was able to reduce the quantity of zinc used in wheat cultivation.
In the 1980s, when a global reappraisal of the green revolution was being done that Dr.Prabhakaran Nair started his research. The findings of his research done in Germany were presented at the international conference in France in 1984. Based on this the Royal Society of Belgium appointed him a professor of their National Science Foundation. Later he was invited by Cameroon to start their Agricultural University and by South Africa to start the Agricultural wing in Fort Hare University.
Although many countries have adopted and benefited from his work, he is a bit let down that Kerala has not taken his work seriously.
A winner of the Rockefeller fellowship and the Germany’s Alexander Humbolt Foundation fellowship as well as Robertson Memorial Gold Medal, this Malayali scientist settled at East Hill, Kozhikode is disappointed that he is unable to contribute more towards the land of his birth.
Courtesy: Prakash Mathew, Malayala Manorama, June 14, 2003
Contributed by: Administrator
