Dr. Ripon Kumar Sikder

About

Dr. Ripon Kumar Sikder is a plant stress physiologist, seed systems specialist, and agricultural development professional whose work bridges scientific research, agricultural innovation, and seed-sector development. He currently serves as Deputy Program Director (Seed) at the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh, where he contributes to strengthening and modernizing the national seed system under the World Bank-supported PARTNER program.

With extensive professional engagement in Bangladesh’s public seed sector, Dr. Sikder works on quality seed production and delivery, seed quality assurance, institutional capacity development, and climate-resilient seed systems. A central theme of his work is translating scientific knowledge and emerging technologies into practical solutions that strengthen seed systems, improve farmers’ access to quality seed, and contribute to sustainable agricultural development.

Dr. Sikder earned his PhD from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) in China, specializing in crop stress physiology. His research interests span plant stress physiology, plant nutrition, seed science and technology, crop physiology, and climate-resilient agriculture. His scholarly work has appeared in international scientific literature, including the Journal of Plant Nutrition, and he is a co-author of the Springer Nature book chapter “Seed Germination and Seedling Development in Vegetable Crops.”

He contributes actively to the international scientific community through peer review and academic mentoring. He has reviewed manuscripts for leading journals including BMC Plant Biology, Scientific Reports, Frontiers in Plant Science, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, and Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. He is also engaged in international academic mentoring as an External Supervisor at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

Beyond research and agricultural development, Dr. Sikder has a strong interest in science communication and writes for wider audiences on plant science, seed systems, climate change, and emerging agricultural technologies. He believes that scientific knowledge achieves its greatest value when it moves beyond laboratories and journals to inform society, policy, and practice.

Outside his professional work, he is passionate about photography, particularly nature, landscapes, people, and everyday life-an interest that reflects the same curiosity and close observation that shape his scientific work.

Research Interests: Plant Stress Physiology, Seed Systems, Seed Science & Technology, Plant Nutrition, Crop Physiology, Climate-Resilient Agriculture, Agricultural Development