Each year, about 32% of the food produced across the world is lost or wasted. Tackling food loss and waste has been on the global agenda for decades, with policymakers citing it as a contributing factor to issues like food insecurity and environmental degradation. Despite this attention, food loss and waste remain a challenge across…

The Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) unveiled evidence for three pathways to make agriculture in Bihar more productive and environmentally sustainable at an event in Patna on October 16. The event was attended by government officials, researchers and members of the private sector. At the roundtable discussion co-organized by the Centre for Sustainable…

The Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) has published its 2024–25 Annual Report. The report offers an in-depth look at the full range of TCI’s research and other activities, including grant-funded projects like the Zero-Hunger, Zero-Carbon Food Systems project and field research performed by TCI scholars pursuing graduate degrees. The 2024–25 Annual Report is available for download in…

As a global society, we have historically pursued large, collective goals—to end hunger, to stop war, to halt climate change. The United Nations (UN) has played a major role in global goal setting, beginning with the Millennium Development Goals and then with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These efforts are laudable and necessary, but as…

A researcher from the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) and a TCI-supported graduate student were awarded a grant from the Polson Institute for Global Development to study the impact of reforms designed to help migrants access benefits from India’s national food-based safety net program. TCI research associate Raghav Puri and TCI Scholar Bharath…

Researchers from the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) met with Mexico’s secretary of agriculture and rural development, Julio Berdegué Sacristán, on Friday, September 5, in Tlaxcala, Mexico. The researchers were invited to discuss potential collaboration to promote the commercialization of smallholder farmers in Mexico through the creation of farmer producer organizations (FPOs). “Farmer…

It is a common misconception in the West that the people of India are all vegetarians. In fact, only 30% of the Indian population is vegetarian, a figure that varies significantly by region, caste and religion. Despite being home to the largest vegetarian population globally, India also has one of the world’s fastest-growing meat markets—particularly…

The emergence of gene-editing technologies, particularly CRISPR-Cas9, has ushered in new possibilities for transformative advancements in agriculture, healthcare and environmental sustainability. The discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 in 2012 has the potential to accelerate the pace of innovation and enable more precise interventions in biological systems. Unlike traditional genetic modification (GM), which often involves inserting foreign DNA…

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer confined to labs and tech hubs. Today, it is transforming agriculture—tailoring weather advice for farmers and spotting pests before they decimate crops. As IBM defines it, AI is “technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem-solving, decision-making, creativity and autonomy.” In India, home to over…

In May 2025, the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) announced its newest project, Promoting Value Chains for Climate Resilience and Nutritious Diets. TCI researchers will map and analyze the value chains for key nonstaple food groups in India—coarse grains, horticultural produce, pulses and oilseeds. Through their analysis, they will identify challenges and inefficiencies…