M S Swaminathan Research Foundation - MSSRF

When crops fall sick, who do farmers turn to? This , we're reminded that timely advice can save harvests, livelihoods, and ecosystems.

Through plant clinics, MSSRF—supported by CABI’s PlantwisePlus initiative—connects farmers with trained plant doctors and science-backed digital tools to diagnose crop health problems and promote sustainable pest management.

Strengthening for a more food-secure future. 🌱

In the run-up to the International Day for Biological Diversity, join MSSRF’s on Instagram and put your biodiversity knowledge to test. Every day, we will share three fun guess-cards for you to decode at: 10 AM, 2 PM, 4 PM.

And the answers? Catch the reveal in our Stories at 6 PM.

Each guess-card is carefully picked to spotlight a species, crop, or living system that plays an important role in India’s biodiversity.

Play along, learn something new, and celebrate the richness of nature with us. Don’t miss it!

Play on Instagram from May 12 -22: https://www.instagram.com/mssrf_official/

Subhashree Parida, Mina Swaminathan Media Fellow in 2026 has published her first story as part of the fellowship.

Written for News18, “Promoting Seed Sovereignty: The Deomali Women’s Movement for a Chemical-Free Future” brings attention to women-led grassroots leadership and sustainable agricultural practices in Odisha.

A meaningful milestone in showcasing rural voices and environmental justice. Read the full piece here: https://www.mssrf.org/mssrf-media

Pune. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Nagpur. Over the past week, Department of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra - महाराष्ट्र शासन, the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy have been on the ground across Maharashtra, listening to women farmers and documenting the barriers they face every day.

During these regional consultations, women spoke about the lack of recognition as farmers, and how this continues to block their access to government schemes, credit, and other support systems. The discussions brought out a clear reality: women shoulder a major share of agricultural work yet remain largely invisible in policies and records.

Devendra Fadnavis

Why does land ownership still define who counts as a "farmer"?

Drawing from our recent consultations with the Govt. of Maharashtra, MSSRF's Meera Sundararajan, Head of Monitoring & Evaluation, unpacks the real-world hurdles of women farmers and the State Policy's commitment to recognising their occupational identity.

Read more on BehanBox: https://behanbox.com/2026/04/30/land-identity-and-access-the-structural-barriers-facing-women-farmers/

Tonnes of plastic nets drifting through the deep sea, trapping fish, crabs, turtles — with no one at the other end of the line.

This is ghost gear. Synthetic fishing equipment that breaks down into microplastics, is ingested by marine life, and quietly enters our food systems. Invisible to the naked eye, but a very real threat to ocean and human health.

Here's a closer look at ghost gear, the waste management crisis keeping the threat afloat, and how a circular approach can help tackle the problem: https://www.mssrf.org/stories-of-change

A step forward for Tamil Nadu's wetlands: In collaboration with the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority, MSSRF developed 25 Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) on Ecosystem-Based Restoration of Small Wetlands and Enhancement of Rural Livelihoods for Climate Resilience.

These DPRs adopted a participatory approach, uniting district government departments, experts, and local communities to co-create solutions, and will support the State Wetland Authority’s planning for ecosystem restoration and climate-resilient communities.

Pictured: R Gopinath, Principal Scientist at MSSRF, submitting the reports to Srinivas R. Reddy, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF) & CEO, CAMPA (FAC).

This work falls under the Indo-German project “Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection”—implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India and GIZ, with backing from the International Climate Initiative (IKI)

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 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, 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