As India continues to grow and transform, the effectiveness of its social safety nets will be of the utmost importance for helping those left behind and addressing the country’s chronically high rates of poverty and malnutrition. The Tata-Cornell Institute’s (TCI) latest book, The Future of India’s Social Safety Nets: Focus, Form, and Scope, tackles these…

A typical TCI scholar is at TCI for about five years—the time it takes to finish their PhD—starting their journey in the classroom before moving to the field to conduct research. TCI Scholar Kasim Saiyyad took a different path. Long before he began his doctoral studies at Cornell, he was a TCI staff member in…

New research from the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) reveals that Indian efforts to improve household nutrition through women’s empowerment could have a greater impact with a more targeted approach that takes into account different levels of urbanization.   Published in the journal Food Policy, the TCI study assesses the effect of women’s…

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…