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M S SWAMINATHAN RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Harnessing Science for Sustainable Development

www.mssrf.org

M S SWAMINATHAN RESEARCH FOUNDATIONpro-poor, pro-nature, pro-women research and action1988 - 2018

The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF)

was established in 1988 as a not-for-profit scientific

trust for rural development. Headquartered in

Chennai, MSSRF was envisioned and founded by

Professor M S Swaminathan with proceeds from

the First World Food Prize that he received in 1987.

MSSRF aims to accelerate use of modern science

and technology in agriculture and allied activities to

improve lives and livelihoods of rural communities.

The Foundation has made its impact felt in various

dimensions over the last thirty years, making a

difference to the lives of over 200,000 farm families

spread across nine states; and influencing several

national and international initiatives.

About MSSRF

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MSSRF’s vision is to harness science and technology for sustainable development following a

pro-poor, pro-women and pro-nature approach. The Foundation applies appropriate science and

technology options to address practical problems faced by rural populations in agriculture, food

and nutrition.

About

MSSRF

Our Mission & Vision

Thematic Research Areas of MSSRF

Agriculture, Nutrition and Health

Coastal Systems Research and Climate Change Biodiversity

Biotechnology Ecotechnology

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The Indian coast line is extremely vulnerable to climate change induced extreme weather events. Participatory

research is undertaken to integrate ecological security of coastal areas and livelihood security of coastal

communities in a mutually reinforcing manner, to achieve sustainable management of coastal resources. Building

resilience of coastal communities to climate change is a thrust area of work. The priority areas are sustainable

management of coastal forestry through promotion of mangrove and non-mangrove bioshield and tropical dry

evergreen forest cover, coastal agriculture and sustainable small scale fishery development. Information and

Communication Technology (ICT) tools are used for transferring information for betterment of livelihoods of coastal

communities; the Fisher Friend Mobile Application (FFMA) is one such ICT based innovation.

Coastal Systems Research and Climate Change

Coastal Systems Research for attention to coastal forestry, agro-forestry, coastal agriculture, capture and culture fisheries and marine biodiversity

The programme promotes conservation of biodiversity and creation of sustainable livelihoods for poor and

vulnerable communities living in biodiversity ‘hotspots’ of peninsular India. Agrobiodiversity being a critical subset of

biodiversity, the objectives are to engage in dynamic conservation of vanishing Plant Genetic Resources (PGRs) of the

region; secure household level food, nutrition and livelihood security by promoting sustainable use of locally important

PGRs through a 4C approach of Conservation-Cultivation-Consumption-Commerce; and mainstreaming eco-agricultural

practices for food production.

BiodiversityBiodiversity conservation to halt genetic erosion and create an economic stake in agro-biodiversity

conservation to alleviate poverty and malnutrition, and usher in an era of bio-happiness

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In anticipation of climate change impacts, research is undertaken to explore the genetic and genomic architecture

of naturally stress tolerant species and to develop location specific varieties for abiotic stress tolerance particularly

salinity tolerant rice varieties. It also delves into microbial bio resources including bacteria, actinomycetes, lichen

species for identifying pharmaceutically relevant novel compounds, novel bacterial species and microbial products for

promoting crop yield enhancement in millets and pulses. MSSRF has a large culture collection of saline tolerant plant

growth promoting bacterial isolates and has established lichen cultures for the biosynthesis of secondary compounds.

Biotechnology The programme utilizes new age biotechnologies to generate and extend new knowledge and products;

to develop abiotic stress (drought and salinity) resilient crops, enhance soil quality and conserve nutri-rich plants

The JRD Tata Ecotechnology Centre has 5Es: ecology, economics, equity (gender and social), employment and

energy as guiding principles in technology development, incubation and dissemination for sustainable livelihoods. The

programme works with a mission of generating and extending new knowledge, practices and technologies for

sustainable livelihoods in diverse agro-ecosystems. The focus themes are: a) Addressing the factors of

production to enhance productivity through integration, diversification and sustainable intensification of agriculture, b)

Conservation and management of natural resources namely water, soil and biodiversity, to strengthen the adaptive capacity of

resource poor farmers to climate variability and, c) Institutional innovations for enhancing small holder

competitiveness through development of value chain and promoting sustainable Farmer Producer Organizations. The

programme uses information and communication technology to bridge the digital divide between knowledge seekers through

inclusive and gender-sensitive approaches.

EcotechnologyPersistent poverty and declining agricultural productivity among small holder farmers along with depletion

of natural resources are the concerns to address which the Ecotechnology programme was evolved

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Research on food and nutrition security issues including policy analysis and programme evaluation; demonstrating

models like community foodgrain banks to address seasonal hunger, empowerment of women farmers and promotion

of nutrition garden of fruits and vegetables; nutrition awareness, building capacity of local men and women to be

community hunger fighters and the spokespersons for sustainable food and nutrition security.

MSSRF promotes a farming system for nutrition approach to address malnutrition and is engaged in advocacy for

promotion of nutrition sensitive agriculture interventions.

Agriculture, Nutrition and Health

Leveraging agriculture for nutrition and health to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 of Zero Hunger

Gender, addressing climate change and

strengthening grassroots institutions are

cross-cutting themes across all initiatives, in

keeping with MSSRF’s core philosophy.

The Hindu Media Resource Centre serves

as a link between development, media and

society, for knowledge sharing and discourse on

scientific issues.

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MSSRF’s work has made an impact MSSRF’s work has created a knowledge base of

Touching lives of around 10,00,000 individuals

• across 9 Indian States

• 33 districts

• 452 revenue villages

• 849 hamlets

• 180,000 households

through its four regional centres and

28 field centres

• 72 Doctoral Theses

• 810 papers in peer reviewed journals

• 245 book chapters

• 307 MSSRF reports, occasional

papers, monographs

Through thirty years..

M S Swaminathan Research Foundation3rd Cross Street, Institutional Area, Taramani

Chennai 600 113, India Tel: +91 (44) 22541229, +91 (44) 22541698

web: www.mssrf.org

Des

ign:

DIL

LEP

K(M

SSR

F CA

bC)

M S Swaminathan Research FoundationCommunity Agrobiodiversity Centre. Wayand, Kerala

Head OfficeChennai

Biocentre and Village Resource Centre Pudhucherry

Biju Patnaik Medicinal Plants Garden & Research Centre, Jeypore, Odisha

Fish for All Centre Poompuhar, Tamil Nadu

Our RegionalCentres

INDIA

N

ASSAM

TAMIL NADU

KERALA

ANDHRA PRADESH

KARNATAKA

MAHARASHTRA

TELANGANA

ODISHA

M S SWAMINATHAN RESEARCH FOUNDATIONpro-poor, pro-nature, pro-women research and action1988 - 2018