Dr George V Thomas is Formerly Director of ICAR- Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod, India. He has a research and research management career spanning 36 years in plantation crops and contributed significantly in soil microbiology, soil fertility, plant-microbe interactions, biomass recycling, organic farming and bio-formulations development for management of soil health and fertility leading to sustainable improvement in yields of these crops. His work towards creating wealth from waste biomass of coconut has fetched him the prestigious ICAR Outstanding Team Research Award, as team leader. He was chairman, International Coconut Genetic Resources Network; President, Indian Society for Plantation Crops, Editor, Journal of Plantation Crops and Fellow of four Professional Societies. Dr Thomas has to his credit over 200 research publications including research papers, reviews, technical bulletins and book chapters and edited 10 books. He also served as Emeritus Scientist and Director, Council for Food Research and Development, Kerala, India. Dr.V. Krishnakumar isa former Principal Scientist (Agronomy) & Head, ICAR-CPCRI, Regional Station, Kayamkulam, Kerala. As an Agronomist, he has specialized in Soil Health Management and Crop Nutrition, Crop Pluralism and Cropping System Management, and Organic Farming in Plantation Crops. He has edited fourteen books and published more than 100 research and technical articles apart from contributing chapters in various books, technical bulletins, popular articles etc. As a member of the team, he has bagged the prestigious “Outstanding Interdisciplinary Team Research in Agriculture and Allied Sciences for the Biennium 2005-06” instituted by the ICAR. He has served as Editor of the Journal of Plantation Crops and is a Fellow of the Indian Society for Plantation Crops. He currently functions as a member of the Editorial Board of ‘Current Science’ being published by the Current Science Association, Bengaluru, India.