Safe water, close to home, at an affordable price. MSSRF recently inaugurated a 3,000-litre water ATM at its heat stress study site in Perungudi, Chennai. Residents can now collect 20-litre cans of safe drinking #water for just ₹5 — a practical step towards water security in a warming city. 🔗Read more: mssrf.org/stories-of-change/…

When Velangani Arokyam returned from Singapore six years ago to his farm in Kannivadi, he knew little about agriculture. Local training programmes introduced him to the best practices and nudged him to look beyond chemical inputs. As he gradually shifted to #bioinputs, his soil health offered clear proof of its benefits. 🔗 Here’s how farmers in Kannivadi are exploring bioinputs: mssrf.org/stories-of-change

.@ICLEISouthAsia is delighted to have Dr. Rupesh K Bhomia, Director, Wetlands, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (@mssrf) at #ARISECitiesForum2026 as a speaker. 📍 New Delhi, India | 27–28 October 2026 Know more here: arisecitiesforum.org Keep watching this space for more updates! #ARISECitiesForum #ARISE2026 #SustainableCities #UrbanResilience

Modern science and traditional knowledge must work together to secure the livelihoods of Adivasi farmers in #Kerala. Rooted in this integrated approach, MSSRF, ICAR-CTCRI and ICAR-IISR, organised Gothrajyothi—a stakeholder partnership meet with over 300 Adivasi farmers in Puthoorvayal, Wayanad. Read more: mssrf.org/mssrf-media @icarindia

Join us for a special screening of #TENFA—a powerful film on ecological landscape, culture, and memory. The screening will be followed @doctorsoumya's reflections and a gamified experience with the film producers. 📽️23 October at 4PM. RSVP here: forms.cloud.microsoft/r/sHqc…

Today at 4PM! Telling India's Story Through Data | Seminar by @Rukmini, Founder, Data for India Zoom link: us06web.zoom.us/j/8915846143…

Applications are now open for the 6th Edition of the Mina Swaminathan Media Fellowship 2027! We are inviting journalists reporting on gender, grassroots issues, or the lives and livelihoods of women farmers. Full-time and freelance journalists working in Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Odia, and Marathi across print, television, and digital media can apply. Learn more and apply: mssrf.org/media-fellowship

Today, we celebrated the remarkable work of our fellows, whose stories shone a light on the vital role of women in sustainability, livelihoods, and agriculture across India. Developed through months of rigorous reporting, field visits, and close engagement with communities, these stories brought forward perspectives and experiences that are too often overlooked. Congratulations to all our fellows, Richard Joseph, Subhashree Parida, Mukund Pingale and Kanmani T, on successfully completing the Mina Swaminathan Media Fellowship! We were joined by @JamwalNidhi for special address on 'Missing Voices, Incomplete Stories: Gender and Climate Change in the Media.’ Her session reflected on the gaps in gendered perspectives in rooting from biases that often shape editorial decisions and determine which stories get told. She highlighted the importance of bringing gendered perspectives into journalism for climate reporting and shared her own experiences of centring women’s voices in environmental and development reporting. As we conclude this year's fellowship, we look ahead with excitement, for the next cohort of the Mina Swaminathan Media Fellowship. Applications are invited from journalists reporting in Tamil, Malayalam, Odia, Hindi, and Marathi languages. Click here to learn more: mssrf.org/media-fellowship

Delighted that @mssrf received the @HDFC_Bank Parivartan excellence award for our work with communities in Wayanad and Idukki, Kerala. Congratulations to our team & partners on the ground. @CMOkeralam @CollectorWyd @MoRD_GoI

Drawing on three decades of research in Kannivadi, Tamil Nadu, MSSRF authors Dr Anamika A. and Dr Rengalakshmi examine the limitations of agroecological approaches in addressing the complex challenges faced by resource-poor Dalit women farmers. In the context of the International Year of the Woman Farmer, this discussion underscores the importance of recognizing both the social and ecological dimensions of agricultural development. Advancing women farmers’ growth, independence, and self-reliance requires approaches that are not only environmentally sustainable but also socially inclusive and equitable. Read the full paper: doi.org/10.1177/097152152614…

The Brahmapuram fires exposed the hidden costs of poor urban waste management. Situated on vulnerable reclaimed marshland and burdened by years of unsegregated waste and inadequate processing systems, the dumpsite became prone to recurring fires and environmental degradation. MSSRF's researcher Dr Prathibha Ganesan examines how ecological fragility, fragmented governance, and failed public-private partnerships fuelled the crisis, and how recent interventions are steering efforts towards accountability and sustainability. Read the chapter here: doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-30…

TENFA is travelling to MSSRF, Chennai! @nihaarikanegi 📽️This powerful film on ecological landscape, culture, and memory, will be screened on 23 October at 4PM. RSVP here: forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/… The film premiered at IFF Los Angeles and is produced by Earthbound and Star Hopper Studio.

Water is an essential need & yet clean drinking water is still out of reach for many. Water ATMs are one solution but we must deploy cleaner technology like atmospheric water generation that saves groundwater. Next one! @chennaicorp @CMOTamilnadu @MawsTamilNadu @paanifoundation

The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) has won the 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 2026 (𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲) for its work across 20 villages in Wayanad and Idukki, #Keralam. This recognition celebrates the measurable impact created through stronger livelihoods, spice value chains, community enterprises, natural resource management and community-led initiatives. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to @HDFCBankCSR Parivartan, the distinguished jury, our partners, and above all, the communities whose participation, knowledge, and ownership made this achievement possible.

In the shifting mudflats where Avicennia marina grows, tides and moving water can knock young mangroves off balance. A new study published in the @annbot by MSSRF researchers Balasundari Dharbaranyam, R. Durgaswathi and @Gayatrivenkata2 , with colleagues from St. Peter’s College of Engineering and Technology, shows how these seedlings recover. By forming a bend at the base of their hypocotyl and redirecting their roots, these seedlings straighten up and regain stability when they do not land upright. Read the paper: doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcag302

Access to safe drinking water can make a meaningful difference. At MSSRF’s heat study site in Perungudi, Chennai, a community water ATM provides purified drinking water at just ₹5 per 20-litre can. #MSSRF #CommunityImpact #SafeDrinkingWater #HeatResilience #CommunityVoices

On #WorldFoodDay, Prof M.S. Swaminathan’s words remain a timely reminder that lasting food security will come not from traditional wisdom or scientific innovations alone, but from a combination of both. Traditional wisdom guides us to respect the delicate balance of our ecosystems. Innovation offers novel ways to boost productivity, resilience, and nutrition. The task ahead is to combine both—so that the choices we make today help sustain food, livelihoods and farming communities for tomorrow. #FoodSecurity #SustainableAgriculture

On the occasion of the International Day of Rural Women, MSSRF organised an awareness meeting in Dhanora, Gadchiroli, to highlight the importance of the Women Farmer Certificate (WFC) under the Women Farmer’s Empowerment Act in recognising their contributions to agriculture and improving their access to government schemes and benefits. The meeting brought together agriculture officials and rural development stakeholders to raise awareness, address misconceptions and encourage more women to apply for the certificate.