Adjunct Professor in Crops and Soils Department, Cornell University
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609 Bradfield Hall |
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Dr. Hobbs finished his assignment in South Asia on ways of increasing and sustaining the productivity of rice-wheat systems in the Indo-Gangetic Plains and mid-hills of the Himalayas in May 2002. His research in South Asia focused on new and innovative tillage and crop establishment options for wheat and rice. In this work he collaborated closely with the Facilitation Unit and the multiple national program and international partners of the Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Plains. He is an agronomist with specialty in cropping systems and conservation agriculture.
He is now an adjunct International Professor in the department of crops and soil sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca New York. His main responsibility is teaching and is involved at present in 6 different courses. He also advises some students and is a member of several graduate student committees.
He is presently involved as a consultant with FAO in Tibet on a project looking at the feasibility of double cropping cereals (winter barley and winter wheat) as a way to provide quality fodder for animals during the harsh winter season (reference). Four visits have been made to Tibet with the last visit and terminal workshop planned for the last week of September.
He was also a consultant with Joint Development Associates International in Afghanistan looking at conservation agriculture as a way to improve Rural Agriculture Livelihoods in that country. (reference). Two visits have been made to Afghanistan, October 2005 and June 2006. The latter was mainly done to conduct three 2-day workshops on conservation agriculture. While visiting Afghanistan he also looked at potential projects and partners for a more substantial involvement of Cornell University in Afghanistan in the future. This will probably take the form of closer relations with an Afghan Agricultural University, with Balkh Agricultural College in Mazar-ul_Sharif in the North a possible candidate if funds can be identified.
Newest publications:
1. Hobbs, P.R., R. Gupta and C. Meisner. 2005. Conservation Agriculture in South Asia. In: Uphoff, N., A. Ball, E. Fernandes, H. Herren, O. Husson, M. Laing, J. Pretty, C. Palm, P. Sanchez, N. Sanginga, and J. Thies. (Eds). Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems. Pages 358-371.
2. McDonald, A.J., Hobbs, P.R., Riha, S.J., 2006. Does the system of rice intensification outperform conventional best management? A synopsis of the empirical record. Field Crops Research 96: 31-36.
3. Hobbs, PR, Sayre KD & Gupta, RK. 2006. The Role of Conservation Agriculture in Sustainable Agriculture. Philosophical Transactions of Royal Society (UK). Accepted for publication in 2006.
4. Hobbs, P.R. 2006. Conservation Agriculture: What is it and why is it important for future sustainable food production? Proceedings of an International Workshop on Increasing Wheat Yield Potential. CIMMYT, Obregon, Mexico. March 20-24th 2006. Accepted for publication in 2006.
5. Hobbs , PR, & M. Osmanzai. 2006. Important Rainfed Farming Systems of South Asia . A paper written for and accepted for publication in a new book on Rainfed Land Management Systems, with special reference to “Dryland” Farming Systems to be published in Australia.
6. Baker, C.J., Saxton, K.E., Ritchie, W.R., Chamen, W.C.T., Reicosky, D.C., Ribeiro, F., Justice, S.E., and P.R. Hobbs (2006). No-Tillage Seeding in Conservation Agriculture. (publishers CABI & FAO). A new edition of this book that will be very useful in terms of describing equipment for conservation agriculture.
Courses taught or participating in:
1. Tropical Cropping Systems (CSS/IARD 414) in Fall semester
2. Traditional Agriculture in Developing Countries (CSS/IARD 403) in Fall semester
3. Agriculture in Developing Nations I (IARD 402) in Fall semester
4. Agriculture in Developing Nations II (IARD 602) that includes a field visit to India in the Winter break
5. Practicum in Forest Farming (HORT/NTRES/CSS 426) in Fall semester
6. The GMO Debate: Environmental Impacts of Agricultural Biotechnology (CSS410) in the Spring semester
News from Rice-wheat Consortium of the Indo-Gangetic Plains:
Rice-wheat cropping systems dominate farming in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia and are crucial for cereal grains food security in this populous region. In the short period of its introduction, farmers have quickly adopted zero-till technology for establishment of wheat after the rice crop. In 2005-06 it is estimated that more than 3.0 million hectares of this resource conserving technology (RCT) out of 13.5 million total RW area was used by farmers. This adoption has grown exponentially from 5000 ha in 2000. Zero-till has reduced the cost of cultivation by US$55/ha and reduced fossil fuel use as diesel by 50-60 liter/ha. At the same time crop yield has improved by 247 kg/ha mainly due to more timely planting. Soil moisture and soil health has improved especially where crop residues are retained on the soil surface. It is also estimated that 1.5 to 3.0 billion m3 of water is saved on this 3 million hectares of land, worth nearly 3 weeks of US domestic water use. The RWC is now exploring ways of getting these RCT or conservation agriculture prcatices adapted by farmers with other crops including rice, which is a major water user in the IGP. For more information see the link above which takes you to the RWC web page and the research highlights for 2005.
| Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Plains | http://www.rwc.cgiar.org/index.asp |
| Cornell's Soil Management CRSP project | http://www.css.cornell.edu/FoodSystems/RW%20project-a.html |
| CIMMYT-Bangladesh | http://www.cimmyt.org/bangladesh |
| CIMMYT-Mexico | http://www.cimmyt.org |
| International Rice Research Institute | http://www.irri.org/ |
Degrees: PhD, Cornell University (1972); MSc, Kansas State University (1969); BSc, Reading University (1967)
Previous postings and accomplishments: Between 1982 and 1988, Dr. Hobbs was the CIMMYT wheat agronomist in Pakistan, where he conducted research on wheat-based cropping systems under a project funded by USAID. From 1980 to 1982 he was posted to CIMMYT headquarters in Mexico, where he worked in wheat agronomy and training. Prior to that, Dr. Hobbs was rice systems agronomist with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Bangladesh (1975-1980). From 1972 to 1974, he was a CUSO (Canada) Volunteer conducting work on cropping systems at Chiangmai University, Thailand.
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