As a source of income generation during crop failures, goat-rearing offers many advantages to smallholder farmers in India. But a lack of established markets and infrastructure leaves many farmers dependent on natural breeding practices instead of the more beneficial artificial insemination. A new Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) study aims to improve farmer…

Dr. Nagesh Gavirneni, a faculty fellow at the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) and professor of operations management in the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, died in Ithaca at the age of 56. Gavirneni was a frequent fixture at TCI events. As a faculty fellow, he played an advisor role…

Jocelyn Boiteau, a postdoctoral associate at the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI), was quoted by CNN on India’s recent spike in tomato prices. The cost of tomatoes rose more than 400% due to crop failures, leaving many unable to afford the staple of Indian cuisine. Boiteau told CNN that the tomato shortage driving…

Is your burger made of beef or pea protein isolate mixed with coconut oil? As efforts to stop climate change ramp up, increased attention is being given to swapping out meats and dairy items for plant-based alternatives designed to replicate the real thing. However, a new study from the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition…

Price volatility affects all members of the agricultural value chain, but smallholder farmers in developing countries are particularly vulnerable to adverse prices. In general, price hedging mechanisms for smallholder farmers are limited and, in many cases, not used. With appropriate infrastructure (physical, market, and institutional), price hedging strategies that improve farmers’ livelihoods could be made…

As a young girl, Soumya Gupta would accompany her father to the hospital, where he worked as a doctor. The image of impoverished women waiting for healthcare services in long queues impacted her deeply. She decided that one day, she would do something to improve public health services for women like them. In graduate school,…

Three TCI scholars received their degrees during commencement ceremonies at Cornell University on Saturday, May 27. Natasha Jha and Anna David Thottappilly each received PhDs in applied economics and management from the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. Tanuj Chawla received an MPS in information science from the Ann S. Bowers College of Computing…

Researchers from universities and research institutions across the world traveled to Cornell University last week to take part in the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) 10th Anniversary Conference. The theme of the conference was “Food, Environment, and Health—Global Evidence.” A total of 30 scholars presented their research during the two-day conference on May…

Banning alcohol may be an effective tool for curbing violent crimes, according to a forthcoming study coauthored by a group of researchers including Tata-Cornell Institute (TCI) Scholar Natasha Jha. The study, which is due to be published in the July 2024 issue of the journal Economic Development and Cultural Change, examines the experience of Bihar,…

In a recent visit to Latur, a district in Maharashtra, India, we gained an understanding of the marketing channels and infrastructure available for local soybean producers. In India, Latur is a significant agricultural hub for soybean cultivation, with the second-highest acreage dedicated to soybean production after Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. Soybean cultivation accounts for approximately…