In agricultural research and development, “orphan crops” are invaluable food crops that have historically been overshadowed by larger staple grains like rice, wheat, and maize. Coarse grains, roots, tubers, and pulses such as millets, cassava, common beans, and others play a critical role in providing essential nutrients and are cultivated by many smallholder farmers in…

Since its publication earlier this year, TCI’s latest book, The Future of India’s Social Safety Nets: Focus, Form, and Scope has been downloaded more than 13,000 times. TCI research associate and lead author Andaleeb Rahman recently spoke with The Economic Times about the book, the comprehensive vision of social safety nets that it envisions, and…

Bihar can make significant progress toward its goal of sustainable development by implementing three transformative technologies in the state’s agricultural sector, according to the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI). In a special policy brief, the Institute shows that Bihar can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with rice and livestock production while maintaining…

Goat rearing holds significant promise for smallholder farmers in India, offering resilience and income generation even during crop failure. However, reliance on natural breeding practices limits productivity due to issues like inbreeding and disease transmission. Artificial insemination presents a viable solution to enhance goat productivity by providing access to superior genetic material and desirable traits….

Two TCI scholars received their degrees during commencement ceremonies at Cornell University on Saturday, May 25. Vanisha Sharma received her PhD in applied economics and management from the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. Whitman Barrett received his MS in soil and crop sciences from the School of Integrative Plant Science. Sharma’s doctoral research…

In 2021–22, India spent US$17.4 billion on the Public Distribution System, or PDS. For a program that ensures food security for over 800 million people, that seems like a good bargain. However, new research on the hidden costs of the PDS from the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) reveals opportunities to lower the…

It’s nearly noon and the sun hangs directly overhead. The intense heat makes it tough for Shanta to continue carrying her two-gallon water container. Her colleagues face the same struggle. This is their third day working under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which provides at least 100 days of paid work…

The Indian government can help to ensure that nutritious millets are accessible for all Indians by promoting their inclusion in the Public Distribution System (PDS), researchers from the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) argue in a new op-ed published in the Hindustan Times. In the op-ed, TCI Director Prabhu Pingali and Research Associate…

Millets contribute to achieving six of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals for 2030: zero hunger, good health and well-being, decent work and economic growth, responsible consumption and production, climate change, and life on land. In India, the gradual disappearance of millets from diets has intensified nutritional inadequacies while making cropping patterns unsustainable and increasing the…

“How many FPOs are there in India?” This seemingly simple question marked the beginning of an unexpected challenge when I began working on the Tata-Cornell Institute’s project on FPO-Led Small Farm Market Access Models in 2019. Farmer producer organizations (FPOs) are collaborative entities that unite small and marginal farmers, enabling them to pool resources and…