A key feature of the Tata-Cornell experience is conducting fieldwork. As TCI Scholars, we gather primary data for our thesis research through a long-term engagement with villages in rural India.  Before we finalize our research questions, write a proposal and…

On 8 November 2016, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a demonetization policy not only to eliminate black currency, but also to promote a digital and cashless economy. The “Cashless India” and “Digital India” initiatives propose to reduce corruption at…

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 12, responsible consumption and production, aims to halve worldwide food waste and reduce global food loss by 2030. When thinking about this goal, many questions arise, such as: How is food loss and food…

At the Tata-Cornell Institute (TCI), doing applied, on-the-ground research is a serious part of our mission. We believe that academic rigor and fieldwork go hand in hand. In this panel, Tata-Cornell Scholars discuss what they’ve gained from their experiences conducting…

For her PhD research, Payal Seth has been conducting ongoing fieldwork in Uttar Pradesh, India. In this video, Payal explains the crux of her research question and reflects on another summer of field-based research. Learn more about her research and…

This summer, Jocelyn Boiteau has been learning about food loss in the fruit and vegetable value chains in India. Hear from Jocelyn as she describes her exploratory research. Jocelyn Boiteau is a Tata-Cornell Scholar and second year PhD student at…

Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) have been used to help agriculture communities improve their farming knowledge and market strategies. Over the summer, Krystal Rampalli has been talking with farmers and programs across India that use ICT for Ag, to understand…

During his summer of exploratory research, Rohil Bhatnagar has spent two months visiting rural villages in order to assess  dietary patterns, market-level food diversity, and nutritional awareness – especially around iron-deficiency anemia.  Learn more about how this fieldwork in Gujarat,…

Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is a global, multifactorial nutritional disorder having severe health and economic implications. The burden of IDA is most prevalent in resource-limited settings that rely primarily on staple cereals and a few vegetables for nourishment. Specifically in India, …

On the 4th of July, I traveled to the Maharajganj District of Eastern Uttar Pradesh with three other TCI colleagues to study market diversity in the Pharenda Block. Our objective was to observe the variety of foods available in four…