As a TCI scholar pursuing a PhD in international nutrition, Kathryn Merckel led a trial testing the potential of orange-fleshed sweet potato to improve nutritional outcomes in Uttar Pradesh, India. After graduating in 2020, Merckel now works to improve nutrition…

Healthy soils are key to producing nutritious foods. In hopes of boosting agricultural productivity in India, TCI’s Soil Health Project in Bihar examines the links between soil health, land management, and cropping systems to assess their impact on agricultural yields.…

What types of households have more diverse farms, and why does it matter? Spatial crop diversity — growing more than one crop in a field or on a farm simultaneously — has been associated with higher levels of biodiversity, soil…

Abstract The resources that shape our environment, including soils, play an immense role in determining our health. Yet, not much attention has been given to the study of the soil–human health nexus. In this dissertation, we address this research deficiency by conducting a cross sectional...

Abstract Iron deficiency anemia affects 1.2 billion people worldwide. Current iron fortificants either suffer from poor bioavailability or negatively affect the sensory profile of foods. In this project, we investigated the potential of defatted microalgae Nannochloropsis oceanica (DGM), a by-product of the biofuel industry, as...

Abstract Background and Objectives Despite global progress on reducing malnutrition, micronutrient-inadequate diets still contribute to a large public health burden in many underdeveloped regions. These deficiencies are a product of both lack of sufficient affordable diverse foods in local food systems, as well as lack...

Fatma Rekik, an alumna of the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI), is the recipient of the 2021 Truog Soil Science Outstanding Dissertation Award. Presented by the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), the award recognizes a recent PhD…

Soil degradation, resulting from poor land management practices such as the overuse of fertilizers, can worsen farm productivity. Yet, across India, efforts to improve soil quality have focused almost exclusively on chemical properties, ignoring the physical and biological processes that make soils dynamic and complex living systems.

Ensuring good nutrition during weaning can help set a child on the path of good health and development. Yet, when it comes time to wean babies from breast milk or formula, many parents reach for puffed cereal snacks that, while convenient, offer little nutritional benefit at a time when children’s protein requirement is at its peak.

TCI is exploring an innovative approach to curbing iron deficiency by fortifying wheat flour using a byproduct of the biofuel industry. Widely consumed and available through India’s Public Distribution System, wheat flour is an ideal vehicle for fortification.