Esakkimuthu M., Dr

Dr.Esakkimuthu M., awarded his Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Extension and Communication from Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhnad; Master of Science in Agricultural Extension from Kerala Agricultural University and Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Tami Nadu Agricultural University. Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Development from Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi.  His research thrust area for his expertise includes rural entrepreneurial potential assessment for agri- entrepreneurial units, agricultural innovations in technical backstopping system under decentralised planning system (People’s Plan), potentials and challenges of rural entrepreneurship and development, scaling-up of farm families through governmental interventions and developmental programmes, rebuilding of climate resilient food system for development of homestead based farming systems models (organic banana cultivation) with special focus to boosting-up the rural economy through plantation based cropping systems (Coconut, Cashew, Pepper), Gender task force, farm women empowerment through- dairy enterprise units and farm mechanization etc. He visited Sri Lanka and Nepal for professional assignments. He is holding various awards and honours for his academics and research merit. He is editorial advisory board member in various peer-reviewed research and extension journals. He has awarded various academic, research and travel grants for his merit includes Lectureship from ICAR & University Grants Commission of India. Prior to his current position, he had hands on working experience from ICAR and Agricultural University system over a span of 4 years in research and extension systems in India. Besides, he played an instrumental role in Coordination of various research and extension projects, extension and outreach activities, farm development initiatives, skill development, trainings, capacity building programmes, Zonal workshop on research and extension advisory council of northern Kerala. He served as Co-Chairman for research and extension forums and Rapporteur for research and development & extension forums at national and international level. He is a panel expert for development of measuring instruments in farm extension science systems and holding a membership positions in various capacities in many scientific societies, professional bodies and farm extension research networks, peer-reviewed research and extension journals, farm magazines across the borders. He is having many research, review, principal conceptual, extension and outreach, chapters, books with ISBN publications from peer-reviewed national and international publishers to his research credit. Through his research outcomes and paper presentations in the national, international and annual conferences he contributed the agrarian economy policy formulation for boosting-up of rural economy through organised rural units by means of secondary agriculture and commercialisation farm based agricultural technologies. He organised many on-farm and off-farm training programmes, capacity building programmes, motivational trainings and workshops and entrepreneurial conclave for framers, entrepreneurs, self-help groups, rural youth, VHSE holders in various agri-enterprise units in Kerala’s rural economy context.