Navigating the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Himalayas
Dr. Durga Madhab Mahapatra specializes in Environmental Bioprocesses and its applications in addressing Water, Energy and Food (WEF) Nexus Challenges through Innovation and Dissemination. His research focuses on Technology Development, Process Modelling, Technoeconomic and Environmental Sustainability Analysis. Dr. Mahapatra's research work involves Design and Development of Novel Bioprocesses for Biomass valorization, Waste treatment and Bioproduct development with specific applications in nutrients recovery, bioenergy production and greenhouse gas abatement. He has been actively involved in several projects on Bioenergy and Bioremediation and is Internationally acclaimed. With his domain knowledge and expertise, he aims to provide regional solutions via Green Technology development through optimal resource utilization with a biorefinery approach fostering Sustainable Development.
The aim of the Session is to explore this nexus to plan, support and achieve WEF security focusing on evidence, scenarios, response options, and multistakeholder dialogue. The session also encourages frugal and cutting-edge technologies to conserve the fragile Himalayan Ecosystem. Key topics will include adopting Integrated approaches as Integrated water management, Water reclamation technologies, Biomass based bioenergy technologies, Sustainable agriculture with multi-tier cropping, RS-GIS based Watershed management, Land stabilization, Algaponics, Algiculture, Climate-smart Agriculture, Integrated Aquaculture farms, Microbial cell-bio factories for valued byproducts, Waste to wealth strategies, AI-ML based Supply chains and Resource management and Renewable energy corridors. This interaction will not only provide a collaborative environment among Himalayan countries for sustainable resource management and Himalayan development, but also establish an interactive platform laying the WEF Nexus Consortia. This initiative would enable HILL to collaborate with its partners to assess the nexus in transboundary basins.