Tag: fieldwork

Field notes: Fieldwork during work hours

Posted on August 20, 2018

Levels of food loss are product and value chain specific. An important first step in determining methods and metrics to evaluate food loss of perishables was to identify the product (or products) and map the value chains. The objective of my fieldwork this summer was to… Read more

Farmers’ decision making and perceived benefits of orange-fleshed sweet potato adoption

Posted on July 23, 2018

“He says orange-fleshed sweet potato has made his family healthier,” my translator, Shaktikar says as I scribble notes in a small notebook. I make sure not to disturb the iPhone pointed towards the farmer we’re interviewing. It is recording every word it can ove… Read more

Can social marketing be a path towards improved nutrition?

Posted on March 26, 2018

The Tata-Cornell Institute (TCI) has been running an iron flour fortification program in a tribal community in Gujarat. It uses the principles of social marketing to generate awareness about the importance of iron and other micronutrients, and consequentially aim… Read more

Nutrition: not just for babies

Posted on March 5, 2018

Melinda Gates wrote in “Impatient Optimists,” the official blog of her and her husband’s foundation, the following: “In global health, we talk a lot about neglected diseases like onchocerciasis and schistosomiasis—serious ailments that most people ha… Read more

The bridge to Pusa: the road from field to lab

Posted on February 21, 2018

Bihar, 2018:The thick fog blanketed the city making it impossible to see any of the buildings down below. I’d been warned of the trouble with fog in the northern part of India but the inability to see anything beyond a few meters ahead of me was not something I was prepare… Read more

Is my time the same as your time? A note on the concept of time in Indian villages

Posted on February 15, 2018

Many of us conducting research in development economics deal with different types of data sets for our analysis. We generally have two options for empirical research in development economics: either we can use available secondary data sources, or we can go and collec… Read more

Call for Applications: Tata-Cornell Summer Internship

Posted on January 20, 2018

The Tata-Cornell Institute is actively recruiting graduate students for the 2018 Summer Internship Program. This is a 6-8 week professional development and research-oriented opportunity for students interested in issues related to food policy, agriculture… Read more

Video Coverage for 2017 Annual Celebration

Posted on December 29, 2017

At the end of each year, the Tata-Cornell Institute holds a special event to publically report on our research findings as well as to share project updates from our field locations in India. We also launch our Annual Report. The event was held on Friday, December 8th,… Read more

And the survey says…

Posted on September 15, 2017

In previous blogs, we described the accomplishments and challenges associated with the implementation of Phase-I of the Sustainable Flour Fortification Initiative (branded as “SFurtI”). This led to a very important research question: why do some people choo… Read more

Field visit to study market diversity in Eastern Uttar Pradesh

Posted on August 24, 2017

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 markets and then convert this informa… Read more

Dietary predictors of iron-deficiency anemia in rural India

Posted on August 17, 2017

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 nourish… Read more

Videos from the Field: Rohil Bhatnagar

Posted on August 11, 2017

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 ab… Read more

Videos from the Field: Krystal Rampalli

Posted on August 10, 2017

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,… Read more

Videos from the Field: Jocelyn Boiteau

Posted on August 9, 2017

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 the Division of Nutri… Read more

Videos from the Field: Payal Seth

Posted on August 8, 2017

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 fieldwork exp… Read more

Why Fieldwork Matters

Posted on August 7, 2017

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 experience… Read more

Field notes: Visit to the Azadpur fruit and vegetable wholesale market

Posted on July 31, 2017

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 waste defin… Read more

What are the obstacles and opportunities in rural areas to achieving a “Cashless India”?

Posted on July 26, 2017

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 corr… Read more

Key lessons in exploratory research and fieldwork

Posted on July 7, 2017

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 pre… Read more

Operationalizing panel data collection

Posted on May 26, 2017

From last year, I have been working on my PhD dissertation thesis that focuses on the effects of women’s time allocation in agriculture on their nutritional status. The sample for my study comprises of 1920 individuals from 24 villages in Chandrapur district of M… Read more

Sfurti micronutrient sachets: The journey so far and challenges ahead

Posted on April 8, 2017

Iron, an important micronutrient for normal body functioning and stamina, is deficient across the world and severely affects women and children in developing countries as reported by WHO. Common symptoms of iron deficiency lead to lower level of stamina, fatigue an… Read more

Reflections from a year in the field: Sustainable livestock feeding systems in rural India

Posted on March 17, 2017

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 extensive (as opp… Read more

Field notes: Essentials of enumerator training

Posted on January 23, 2017

I have been lodged in Mahrajganj, Uttar Pradesh for the past month and a half with the purpose of conducting the survey for two chapters of my doctoral thesis. For this study, I have had the gracious support of the entire TCI team and our partnering NGO Grameen Development… Read more

Field notes: Finalizing the research plan

Posted on April 6, 2016

Dr. Debbie Cherney, one of TCI’s Faculty Fellows and my committee chair, was graciously supported by TCI to visit India during Spring Break 2016. Dr. Cherney had never travelled to India previously, so this was an invaluable experience for her to observe India’s l… Read more

ICRW interviews Dr. Soumya Gupta, Winner of the Paula Kantor Award

Posted on January 29, 2016

By Erin KellyErin Kelly is a Communications Specialist at the International Center for Research on Women. This interview originally appeared on the ICRW website.On January 20th, ICRW awarded Dr. Soumya Gupta with the inaugural Paula Kantor Award for Excellence in F… Read more

Search Filters:

Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition