This book provides the current status, research advances, challenges and opportunities of hemp products along with recommendations for future research. The surge in demand is fueling a global Green Rush, even in countries where a legal market for hemp products was unthinkable just a few years ago. The hemp market is growing globally and its products (fiber, food, medicine, etc.) are overwhelmingly accepted by the customers. With increasing market demand for more natural and greener products, the revolutionizing potential of hemp and its products in changing economy plays a major role. Moreover, considering their high demand and development of new varieties for producing raw material of need, breeding tools provide an effective means of development of varieties.
This book aims to highlight the revolutionizing potential of hemp and its products in changing the economy, current status, and challenges. In addition, it provides the multi-functional and multi-industrial potential of hemp.
Tarun Belwal, M.Tech., Ph.D. in Plant Biotechnology has over 10 years of experience in nutraceuticals, food science, bioprocessing, and phyto-pharmacology. After completing his Ph.D. degree in Biotechnology from Kumaun University, Uttarakhand, India, in collaboration with G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE), Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand, India, he worked at the College of Biosystems Engineering and Food science, Zhejiang University, China and in the Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, Italy. He has extensively worked on wild berries and fruits, medicinal plants, biodiversity conservation, sustainability, and food waste valorization. He was awarded the ‘Governor’s Award for Best Research’ 2016 and 2017 by the Government of Uttarakhand, India for his research work. He has been served as Guest Editor in various leading journals, namely Food Chemistry, Food and Chemical toxicology, Phytomedicine, Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, Foods, Food & Function, and Frontiers in Nutrition. He has published over 100 research articles in peer-reviewed journals and edited 3 books. He is currently engaged in the development and promotion of safer and greener food bioprocess techniques, food waste utilization, circular economy, and food functionality.
Naveen Chandra Belwal (retd. Senior Technical Officer) has a total of more than 35 years of research and technical experience in organic farming and hill agriculture research. He has started his career at ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), India, and worked on the production of potato seeds and the development of cropping system. Later, he shifted to ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan (VPKAS), where he has worked on the development of Maize hybrid and composite varieties. Also, he actively worked on the hill agriculture system, cropping system of Wheat, Paddy, Maize, Amaranthus, Soybean, Lentil, etc. He is also an expert on the management of fertilizer requirements, weed control, disease control, and pest and insect control management. He has extensively worked on the development of organic hill agriculture systems, seed production, and organic fertilizer production including bacteria-based fertilizer and its utilization for crop production. He has also published several monographs, bulletins, conducted workshops/trainings, and also delivered more than 70 radio talks on agriculture-based techniques. Based on his expertise and work, he has won several awards in the agriculture field, namely a few such as Prof. Boshi Sen Memorial award (ICAR, 2010) and Dr. Boshi Sen Meritorious Service Award (ICAR, 2017).
