About Book
Sustainable Development: The Critical Role of Agriculture and Eco-Friendly Microbes in the 2030 UN Sustainable Goals explores the vital intersection of agriculture, environmental sustainability, and microbial innovations in achieving the global vision set by the United Nations through the 2030 Agenda. The book highlights how agriculture, as a backbone of livelihoods and food security, plays a transformative role in advancing sustainable development while addressing pressing challenges such as climate change, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss.
Focusing on eco-friendly microbes, the book presents cutting-edge insights into their application in enhancing soil health, nutrient cycling, and crop productivity in an environmentally responsible manner. It emphasizes the shift from conventional chemical-intensive practices toward sustainable, biologically driven approaches that support long-term ecological balance.
The work also connects agricultural innovations with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including zero hunger, climate action, and life on land. By integrating scientific knowledge with practical implications, the book serves as a valuable resource for researchers, academicians, policymakers, and development practitioners seeking sustainable pathways for agricultural growth and rural development.
Through a multidisciplinary perspective, this book advocates for the adoption of microbial technologies and sustainable agricultural practices as essential tools for building resilient farming systems and achieving a greener, more equitable future.
About Author
Dr. Kusum Sharma is a dedicated researcher currently serving as a Senior Associate in the Department of Value Addition Research and Development at the National Innovation Foundation, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. She completed her Ph.D. from Integral University in collaboration with ICAR–Indian Institute of Seed Science, Mau, under the guidance of Dr. S. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Pawan Kumar Sharma. With over six years of research experience, she has actively contributed to projects such as AMMAS and NICRA at ICAR-NBAIM, ICAR-IISS, and ICAR-IIPR. Her doctoral research focused on halo-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for enhancing the growth of Indian mustard. Her research interests include climate change, sustainable agriculture, organic and natural farming, and bio-formulations. She has participated in numerous workshops, seminars, and conferences, and has published several research papers, contributing significantly to both national and international scientific platforms.
Dr. Manoher Saryam is currently serving as Assistant Professor (Extension Education) in the Faculty of Agriculture at Rabindranath Tagore University, Raisen, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh). He completed his B.Sc. (Ag) in 2011 and M.Sc. (Ag) in Agricultural Extension in 2013 from Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur. He earned his Ph.D. from the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, in 2020, and qualified the ICAR-NET (ASRB) examination in 2016. Dr. Saryam is recognized for his work on technical competency of farmers and extension personnel, along with management aspects in extension systems. He has published more than 15 research papers in national and international journals and has actively presented his research at conferences and seminars. With over five years of experience, he is engaged in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses, along with research and extension activities in agricultural extension.
Shephali Rathore is a microbiology researcher with a strong academic background in biotechnology and microbial sciences. She completed her B.Sc. in Biotechnology and M.Sc. in Microbiology from Barkatullah University, Bhopal, and obtained her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Rabindranath Tagore University. Her research focuses on plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and their role in sustainable agriculture. Her expertise includes the isolation, identification, and molecular characterization of beneficial microbes using techniques such as 16S rRNA sequencing. She has worked on evaluating PGPR for plant growth enhancement, soil health improvement, and pathogen suppression. She has published research on antagonistic activity of PGPR and Indole-3-Acetic Acid (IAA) production. She has also received first prizes at national and international conferences. Her interests center on sustainable agriculture, environmental health, and applied microbiology.
