M S Swaminathan Research Foundation - MSSRF

M S Swaminathan Research Foundation - MSSRF M S Swaminathan Research Foundation M S Swaminathan Research Foundation is a non-profit research organization established in 1988. Founded by Professor M. S.

M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) has been developing and following a pro-nature, pro-poor, pro-women and pro-sustainable on-farm and non-farm livelihoods through appropriate ecotechnology and knowledge empowerment. Swaminathan with proceeds from the First World Food Prize that he received in 1987, the Foundation aims to to accelerate use of modern science for agricultural and rural deve

lopment. The Foundation applies appropriate science and technology options to address practical problems faced by rural populations in spheres of agriculture, food and nutrition. These efforts have been undertaken in a participatory manner in partnership with other knowledge-based institutions, public and private sector organisations and local communities. Professor Swaminathan is a Fellow of many of the leading scientific academies of India and the world, including the Royal Society of London and the U S National Academy of Sciences. He has received 58 honorary doctorate degrees from universities around the world. He currently holds the UNESCO Chair in Ecotechnology at the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai (Madras), India

The Western Ghats are one of eight global biodiversity hotspots — and MSSRF has spent three decades working at their hea...
02/05/2026

The Western Ghats are one of eight global biodiversity hotspots — and MSSRF has spent three decades working at their heart. In this edition, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan reflects on the milestones, ongoing efforts to recover plant species, and why we must protect these ecosystems to last beyond our lifetimes.

➡️ Read Issue 141: https://mssrf.org/newsletter

Highlights:
A Living Atlas of India’s Community Seed Banks, by FNI Norway and MSSRF
Maharashtra's Legislative Assembly spotlights women farmers
Biohappiness Centre launched to advance Prof. M.S. Swaminathan's vision
Introducing the Mina Swaminathan Media Fellows

MSSRF is excited to launch a new podcast series, Science Simply. Our first episode drops on May 5 and tackles the quest...
30/04/2026

MSSRF is excited to launch a new podcast series, Science Simply.

Our first episode drops on May 5 and tackles the question on everyone’s mind: how do we cope with a world that keeps getting hotter? Let’s ask the science.

Science Simply breaks down complex science into simple usable ideas and actionable takeaways. Hosted by Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, one of the most trusted scientists and public health voices, each episode will bring you clear answers to big questions—from climate and health to food and nature.

🎙️ Tune in on May 5th.

This study determined total carbon stocks of mangrove ecosystems in four land cover types - remnant natural mangroves, ...
29/04/2026

This study determined total carbon stocks of mangrove ecosystems in four land cover types - remnant natural mangroves, mangroves restored through accelerated natural regeneration, nearby inland woody areas, and abandoned shrimp ponds having secondary vegetation. Researchers found higher soil carbon stocks in abandoned shrimp ponds in comparison to adjacent mangrove plantations among these study sites.

Read the full paper here: http://59.160.153.188/library/node/1074

Community seed banks are more than seed storage. They keep knowledge alive, build resilience, and help communities becom...
28/04/2026

Community seed banks are more than seed storage. They keep knowledge alive, build resilience, and help communities become more self-sufficient. The website brings together the achievements of 475+ community seed banks across India—while continuing to grow with inputs and data from the field.

Visit the website, explore the atlas, and be part of shaping this evolving resource 🔗 https://www.communityseedbanks.in/

Adivasi communities in India rely deeply on wild flora and fauna for food and medicine. Kurunthotti—a key medicinal plan...
28/04/2026

Adivasi communities in India rely deeply on wild flora and fauna for food and medicine. Kurunthotti—a key medicinal plant collected and sold by Adivasi communities in the Western Ghats—fuels high demand from Kerala's Ayurvedic industry, providing vital income during lean seasons.

In a recent commentary on Mongabay-India, we stress that its availability is dwindling. Overharvesting, invasive species, and climate disasters make collection harder, with fluctuating prices leaving incomes precarious.

This piece is special because it was co-authored with Thippi Thazhassery, a member of the Adiya Adivasi community, whose voice is crucial to this conversation.

𝐀𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐢 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬 [𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲]: https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/adivasi-medicinal-plant-collection-faces-uncertain-economics-commentary/

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬:
Vipindas Puthiyaveedu and Sujith M M Marath, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF)
Thippi Thazhassery, Member of the Adiya Adivasi community
Abhi Augustine, Master’s student, Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

A new plant belonging to the Cyperaceae family has been discovered in Kerala. The plant, named Fimbristylis wayanadensis...
27/04/2026

A new plant belonging to the Cyperaceae family has been discovered in Kerala. The plant, named Fimbristylis wayanadensis, was discovered in Wayanad, in the Western Ghats. It belongs to the genus Fimbristylis, which comprises approximately 300–320 species worldwide. This discovery adds to the 125 species recorded in India, most of which are found in the Western Ghats. The unique flower structure of Fimbristylis wayanadensis is one of its distinguishing features. The research findings have been published, along with images, in the New York Botanical Garden’s peer-reviewed botanical journal Brittonia.

MSSRF's Salim Pichan has co-authored the research paper along with Chandrasseril Narayanan Sunil, Konickal Mambetta Prabhukumar, Manoli Meethal Jithin & Sidharth Sathyan Nair.

Read the paper here: http://59.160.153.188/library/node/1073

Researchers from MSSRF have published a chapter in the book “Gender Mainstreaming and Development” on detailing the decl...
24/04/2026

Researchers from MSSRF have published a chapter in the book “Gender Mainstreaming and Development” on detailing the decline and recent revival of millet cultivation in India. The chapter ‘Millets and Women: A Changing Feminist Political Ecology of Agricultural Innovations’ focuses on how policy support, technological innovation, and value chain interventions, have reshaped productivity, markets, and gender relations. This chapter employs a feminist political ecology framework to critically examine these gendered and political–economic shifts, with a focus on pathways for embedding gender mainstreaming in the millet sector.

𝐌𝐒𝐒𝐑𝐅 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬: Girigan Gopi; Prashant K. Parida; Rengalakshmi Raj

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞:: http://59.160.153.188/library/node/1075

Our forests, farms, coasts, and communities are all part of the same living system. At MSSRF, we work across agricultura...
22/04/2026

Our forests, farms, coasts, and communities are all part of the same living system. At MSSRF, we work across agricultural and coastal ecosystems because we know that the health of our soils shapes the health of our seas, and the vitality of our coasts determines the nutrition on our plates. When one ecosystem falters, the effects ripple outward — across landscapes, livelihoods, and lives. This , we reiterate our commitment to protecting these interconnections, because a thriving planet and a thriving people are never two different goals.

“Water was always a worry,” recalls Sobitha, a Paniyan Adivasi woman from Kerala’s Wayanad district, where shortages cha...
17/04/2026

“Water was always a worry,” recalls Sobitha, a Paniyan Adivasi woman from Kerala’s Wayanad district, where shortages challenged her ability to farm.

For most of India’s women farmers—who form the backbone of the rural agricultural workforce—this is an everyday struggle.

Read how Sobitha has adapted to ease the burden on her health, farm, and household: https://www.mssrf.org/stories-of-change

on 22 April | First 1000 Days: How Food Systems, Livelihoods and Care Shape Early Childhood Development As the Minis...
16/04/2026

on 22 April | First 1000 Days: How Food Systems, Livelihoods and Care Shape Early Childhood Development

As the Ministry of Women and Child Development marks the 8th Poshan Pakhwada with a focus on maximizing brain development in the first six years, join MSSRF for a timely webinar on current awareness, key challenges, and the best way forward to make the most of these crucial years for the next generation.

Panelists:
Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF
Dr Arun Gupta, Pediatrician & Founder, Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI)
Chirashree Ghosh, Executive Director – Policy & Partnerships, Mobile Crèches Mobile Creches

Moderated by Dr Drishti Sharma, Principal Scientist, Health and Nutrition Policy, MSSRF

Register now: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/zVSTzR4fev

A new national digital platform has mapped 475+ community seed banks across India. Developed by MSSRF and the Fridtjof N...
15/04/2026

A new national digital platform has mapped 475+ community seed banks across India. Developed by MSSRF and the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI) with financial support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy, it connects farmers, community seed banks-promoting networks, researchers, and institutions.

Visit the website and explore the atlas: https://www.communityseedbanks.in/

14/04/2026

Dr Soumya Swaminathan joined Rathish Balakrishnan in conversation on the latest podcast episode of ‘Decoding Impact’, to discuss the varying intersections of climate change and health:

How does climate change impact health, from animal-human conflicts to climate anxiety?
How can we build climate-resilient health systems?
What role do governments play in policy, research, and climate-informed health practices?
What solutions exist, from farmer-friendly apps to municipal climate action plans?

Watch this snippet as she decodes the impact of rising temperatures and humidity on the human body and the future of our planet...

[Video by Decoding Impact with Rathish Balakrishnan]

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