General Informations

  • Join Date: 25/03/1987
  • College: College of Agriculture
  • Department: Agronomy
  • Office Email: mrinal.saikia[at]aau.ac.in

Education Details

 
 
 
 
 
1985
B. Sc. (Agri)

College of Agriculture, Assam agricultural University

 
 
 
 
 
1987
M. Sc. (Agri)

Assam agricultural University, Jorhat

 
 
 
 
 
1995
Ph. D.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore

Employment History

 
 
 
 
 
25-03-1987 - 07-04-1988
Jr. Research Assistant

Assam Agricultural University

 
 
 
 
 
08-04-1988 - 20-05-1992
Jr. Scientist

Assam Agricultural University

 
 
 
 
 
21-05-1992 - 18-06-1995
Assistant Professor (Study leave for pursuing Ph.D. at TNAU, Coimbatore)

Assam Agricultural University

 
 
 
 
 
19-06-1995 - 10-01-1997
Jr. Scientist (Agro)

Assam Agricultural University

 
 
 
 
 
11-01-1997 - 30-06-2006
Sr. Scientist

Assam Agricultural University

 
 
 
 
 
01-07-2006 - 12-07-2009
Pr. Scientist

Assam Agricultural University

 
 
 
 
 
13-07-2009 - 12-09-2011
Pr. Scientist (Agro)

Assam Agricultural University

 
 
 
 
 
13-09-2011 - 15-06-2012
Programme Coordinator

Assam Agricultural University

 
 
 
 
 
27-06-2012 - 03-12-2020
Pr. Scientist

Assam Agricultural University

 
 
 
 
 
04-12-2020 - Till date
Assoc. Director of Research

Assam Agricultural University

Achievements
  • Professional experience: 1.1: I was deputed by the University for Inspection of potato seed production system and functioning of the potato seed farms at Kolkata, West Bengal on request of Director of Agriculture, Govt. of Assam
    1.2: Engaged in providing technical support for planning and execution of objective-wise activities carrying out in selected districts under the World Bank financed Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART) in Collaboration with International Potato Centre (CIP)
    1.3: I was also entrusted to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) of the Assam Govt. project “Majuli as Organic Hub” on request of the Deputy Commissioner, Majuli and the work was done successfully.
    1.4: Involved in evaluation of project from Central Sericultural Research & Training Institute, Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textile, GOI, Berhampur, West Bengal
    1.5: Nominated as technical expert in regards of storage of potato in cold storage of Golaghat district as per the request of DAO, Golaghat
    1.6: Deputed by the University for Presentation on potato development in Assam – strategies and way forward and development of a project on seed potato production on request from the Director of Horticulture and food processing, Assam
    1.7: On request from OIL, Duliajan I was deputed from the university to assess the alleged damage of paddy crops at various locations OIL’s operational area during October, 2017
    1.8: Involved in Ph.D. Thesis evaluation from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore and CPGS, CAU, Meghalaya
  • 2. Product, process, policy development:
    I was entrusted to survey different seed farms of the Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Assam and prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for modernization of seed farms of the state.
    2.1: Besides, I was also engaged in preparation of DPR for modernization of Agricultural Farming Corporation and Field Trial Stations (FTS) of Department of Agriculture and was submitted to the Director of Agriculture, Govt. of Assam
    2.2: Compiled and prepared a report from the field experiments conducted at AAU on use of Sea Weed Saps for production of agricultural crops (rice, pulses, sugarcane and oats) in Assam and submitted to CSMCRI, Bhavnagar, Gujarat in 2015
    2.3: One compost production unit consisting of unit for vermicompost production, azolla and enriched compost production was established in the model organic farm at Chabua under the project funded by OIL, Duliajan and farmers were involved in production of quality compost
    3. Module development for resource pulling & technology adoption:
    3.1: Under Tribal Sub plan (TSP) project, integrated farming system model was designed for adoption by small farm holders and six such IFS models were demonstrated at Shyam gaon, Titabar under PMAGY. Efficient resource pulling module was also tested at small farm holder’s level and system gave livelihood security to the tribal farmers of the village.
    4. Significant contribution through students’ performance/technology output:
    4.1: During the assessment period, two M.Sc (Agri) students have submitted their Thesis and acquired their degrees and one Ph.D. student will submit his thesis within 31st January 2019. Mr. D. Baruah, a M.sc. (Agri) student submitted his thesis on agronomic biofortification in aerobic rice which has given tremendous response from the scientific community for searching the publication.
    5. Administrative capability:
    5.1: My assignment as Programme Coordinator at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nagaon, from September 2011 to June 2012, I have got the opportunity for administrative decision making process in the KVK. This has helped me to develop my capabilities in this direction.
    5.2: Moreover, I have got another opportunity to work as in-charge Associate Director of Research w.e.f August 2018 vide order No 2.1(14)/-2014/RG/2018-19/9896-906 Dated 30/8/2018 and discharging my duties of ADR in addition to the normal responsibilities in the Directorate of Research (Agri), AAU
  • 6. Institution building:
    I have given the responsibilities to work in different fields e.g. various local committees for execution of works viz, Primary purchase committee, Central price fixation committee, member of local organizing committee for seminars, workshops and group meetings of AICRP/AINP projects, etc.
    6.1 : University level steering committee for overseeing completion of the accreditation process of the university by the accreditation board of the ICAR (Task Force No. V)
    6.2 : Joint Organizing Secretary of Annual Group Meeting of AICRP on Soybean held on Feb, 2013
    6.3 : Joint Organizing Secretary of Annual workshop of AICRP on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAP)
    6.4 : Worked as member of the Editorial Board for publication of “Ghare Pathare” the farm newsletter of AAU published from the DEE, AAU
    6.5 Acting as member of Institution Ethics Committee for conducting Human Studies
Membership
  • Indian Society of Agronomy
    Life Member
  • Indian Potato Association
    Life Member
Projects
  • AICRP sponsored project on "AICRP ob Seed (Crops)", project cost Rs.1.00 Crore implemented in 1995.
  • GIZ sponsored project on "Assessment of agro-ecology based cropping systems and natural bioinputs for soil health improvement and product quality enhancement in Assam", project cost Rs.75.00 Lakh implemented in 2023.
  • NIRD sponsored project on "Morpho-physiological, biochemical and genotypic Evaluation of Upendra Rice", project cost Rs.2.0 Lakh implemented in 2022.
  • DRMR, Mau sponsored project on "AAU-DRMR collaborative project", project cost Rs.6.00 Lakh implemented in 2022.
  • NATP sponsored project on "Develop sustainable potato based production system for eastern plains with the use of true potato seed (TPS)", project cost Rs.17.43 Lakh implemented in 1999.
  • Oil India Ltd, Duliajan sponsored project on "Augmentation of Agriculture through Efficient Resource Utilization with Participatory Approach", project cost Rs.65.0 Lakh implemented in 2018.
  • ICAR sponsored project on "Evaluation of On-farm Storage Methods of Seed Potatoes in Assam", project cost Rs.7.0 Lakh implemented in 1998.