Dr. R. C. Saxena – Chairman – Neem Foundation

Dr. R.C. Saxena
Chairman
Neem Foundation

As a leading light of the Neem movement worldwide he conceptualized the setting up of a Foundation to promote & protect the Neem tree, which culminated in the setting up of the Neem Foundation. Dr. Ramesh Saxena has been the Founder Chairman of the Foundation, since its inception in 1993.

From 1991 – 2000, he worked as senior principal scientist at The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Kenya, where he coordinated a $1.79M UNEP-Finland-funded Neem Awareness Project for Sub-Saharan Africa. The Project contributed to mitigating rural poverty through dissemination and diffusion of Neem technology in 11 African countries.

He collaborated with various national and international programmes in agriculture and forestry and actively networked with NGOs. He received MS from University of Hawaii and PhD from Delhi University. In 1975, he joined as rice entomologist at The International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. He conceptualized the relevance of botanical pest control for resource-poor farmers and demonstrated the potential of Neem for sustainable pest management.

In 1986-91, he obtained $1.2M extramural grant for Neem research in nine countries in S and SE Asia and pioneered the introduction of Neem in the Philippines and other countries.

The National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC appointed him as a member of the BOSTID Review Panel on Neem, which published “Neem – A Tree for Solving Global Problems.”

In recent years, he has been promoting extensive planting of neem in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Iran, Peru, Senegal, Vietnam, etc. as well as developing & manufacture of Neem products throughout the world.

His presence at the World Neem Conferences as the Chairman of NF, heading the Organizing Committee added to the scientific temper of the proceedings.

Dr. Saxena currently lives in Gurgaon, Haryana, India.