Tag: research
Combating open defecation through a community-led sanitation approach in rural India
Every year, 188,000 children under five in India die due to diarrhea-related illnesses. This catastrophic burden on children’s health is largely due to the fact that over a third of the Indian population defecates in the open. Open defecation (OD)…
Reflections from a year in the field: Sustainable livestock feeding systems in rural India
Over the last year, I was conducting fieldwork in the Kandhamal District of Odisha, India. We implemented a goat feeding experiment with Kondha tribal farmers in the forest fringe areas of Tikabali Block. Livestock management in the project area was…
Key lessons in exploratory research and fieldwork
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…
Decoding open defecation: Relevance of early findings for field and policy
In my previous blog, I described the prevalence and predicaments of open defecation (OD) in India. For my PhD thesis, I am working with GDS to make villages open defecation free (ODF) by investing in construction of toilets as well…