AMMACHI Labs

09/08/2026

🌊 Value-Added Seaweed Product Training | Andhra Pradesh

As part of our Andhra Pradesh Seaweed Cultivation and Women’s Livelihood Initiative, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Center for Women's Empowerment & Gender Equality is providing hands-on training to Self-Help Group ( ) women in producing value-added seaweed products, supporting sustainable livelihood opportunities through locally cultivated seaweed. 🌱

An order has been received for more than 100 seaweed soaps and 10 kg of seaweed pickles, giving participating SHG women practical production experience while creating opportunities to generate income from value-added seaweed products. 🥒

The initiative brings together Mangamaripeta and Chirrayanam, connecting seaweed cultivation with value addition and new livelihood opportunities. For the current order, Chirrayanam has supplied the entire quantity of Gracilaria needed for both seaweed soaps and pickles, reflecting the village’s growing cultivation capacity and its important role in supporting production within the project. 🧼

Building on the practical experience gained in Mangamaripeta, value-added product training is now underway in Chirrayanam. Through hands-on sessions, SHG women are learning to turn locally cultivated seaweed into finished products while developing skills in standardized preparation, quality control and hygiene, batch production, packaging and labelling, and coordinated production for commercial orders. 👩🏽‍🔬

This creates an important opportunity for women to participate in more than cultivation alone. By gaining skills in processing, value addition and packaging, they can take part in additional stages of the seaweed value chain and gain practical experience in producing for real market demand. 📈

Together, these efforts are laying the foundation for a community-based seaweed value chain that connects what women cultivate with what they can produce and sell, creating new pathways for sustainable livelihoods in the coastal villages of Andhra Pradesh.

Our Women Empowerment initiative in Andhra Pradesh is implemented by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham with support from Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP).

09/08/2026

🎓 Congratulations, Dr. Mukil MV!

Warm congratulations to Dr. Mukil MV, Assistant Professor, Amrita School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Coimbatore, and Associate Director, AMMACHI Labs, Coimbatore, on the successful completion of his Ph.D. at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.

His doctoral research, titled “Design for Sustainability: Role of Indian Sacred Spaces in Sustainable Behavior,” explores the relationship between Indian sacred spaces, sustainability, and human behaviour, offering valuable insights into how cultural and social contexts can contribute to more sustainable ways of living.

His Ph.D. journey was guided by Dr. Bhavani Rao R., Dean, Amrita School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham & UNESCO Chair, with Dr. Tarek Rashed, Director of the GIS Program at the Center of Environment and Society, Washington College, USA, serving as Co-Guide.

As a member of AMMACHI Labs, Dr. Mukil's achievement adds another meaningful milestone to our community of researchers working at the intersection of technology, society, sustainability, and human development.

We are proud to celebrate this significant academic achievement and wish Dr. Mukil M V continued success in his research, teaching, and leadership at AMMACHI Labs. 🎓🌱

Congratulations, Dr. Mukil! ✨

09/08/2026

🎓 Congratulations, Dr. Radhika Mohan!

Heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Radhika Mohan, Vice Chairperson, Department of Psychology, and Center In-Charge, Mano Layam: Center for Wellbeing, School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Ettimadai Campus, Coimbatore, on the successful completion of her PhD at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.

Dr. Radhika’s doctoral research, titled “Women’s Resilience in Kerala: A Qualitative Exploration and Pilot Development of a Context-Specific Resilience Scale,” explores the experiences and resilience of women in Kerala and contributes to the development of a context-specific resilience scale.

Her work reflects a meaningful intersection of women’s well-being, resilience, psychology, and gender-focused research; areas closely aligned with the broader vision of the Center for Women's Empowerment & Gender Equality (CWEGE) and AMMACHI Labs.

We are proud to celebrate this significant academic milestone and wish Dr. Radhika Mohan continued success in her research, leadership, and work towards advancing well-being and resilience. 🌱🎓

Congratulations, Dr. Radhika! ✨

05/08/2026

🌊 From Research to Results: Advancing Sustainable Ocean Farming in Tamil Nadu 🌿

August 2026 | Through Blue is the New Pink, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham's Ocean Farming team continues to translate research into practical, women-led livelihood solutions across Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu.

🌊 Recent Progress Highlights
🔬 Refined locally adapted cultivation methods for indigenous Gracilaria through field trials in Thondi, Soliyakudi, and Sambai, identifying the most effective techniques for local coastal conditions and strengthening the scientific foundation for scaling sustainable seaweed cultivation in India.

👩🏽‍🌾 Worked alongside women seaweed farmers to harvest, evaluate, and improve cultivation practices, while delivering practical training in commercial Gracilaria farming and post-harvest handling; building the technical knowledge needed for long-term, women-led seaweed enterprises.

🐟 Successfully completed the first IMTA pilot harvest, producing 923.65 kg of Asian seabass and generating ₹5,93,706 in revenue. The harvest also included premium-quality fish selected by for broodstock, demonstrating both the commercial viability and quality of the production system.

Together, these milestones demonstrate how applied research, community participation, and technical innovation are creating locally adapted solutions that strengthen women's livelihoods, support healthier coastal ecosystems, and advance a more resilient blue economy.

🌍 Supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• 👩 SDG 5 – Gender Equality
• 💼 SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth
• 🌊 SDG 14 – Life Below Water
• 🤝 SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals

Our Ocean Farming projects in Tamil Nadu are implemented by Amrita's Center for Women's Empowerment & Gender Equality & AMMACHI Labs, in partnership with Esri, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India, GEF Small Grants Programme (Global Environment Facility), Transworld, and TERI - The Energy and Resources Institute.

05/08/2026

03/08/2026

🌊🔬 Specialist Spotlight | Dr. Michael Rosenfeld 🌍

Behind every successful community initiative is a network of people who bring knowledge, experience, and a willingness to learn from one another.

Dr. Michael Rosenfeld, a marine biologist and science educator from Israel, is currently working alongside the Ocean Farming Team from AMMACHI Labs and Amrita's Center for Women's Empowerment & Gender Equality (CWEGE) in Andhra Pradesh, supporting our seaweed cultivation initiative through his expertise in marine ecology, environmental education, and sustainable seaweed development.

Working alongside beneficiary women, local fishing communities, scientists, and our field teams, Dr. Rosenfeld has been assessing cultivation sites, evaluating seaweed growth, advising on pond management, exploring opportunities for value addition, and supporting the continued development of community-led seaweed farming. His visit has also included discussions with hatchery scientists, feasibility assessments in prospective cultivation sites, and practical guidance to strengthen both seaweed production and long-term livelihoods. 🌱

For many years, Dr. Rosenfeld has combined marine science with environmental education, helping young people understand sustainability, ecology, and living in harmony with nature while contributing to seaweed development projects. Through this work, he has seen the extraordinary potential of seaweed cultivation to restore marine ecosystems, strengthen coastal livelihoods, create sustainable economic opportunities—particularly for women—and contribute to climate change mitigation, all without requiring freshwater, fertilisers, or agricultural land.

During his time in India, Dr. Rosenfeld says he has found himself both contributing and learning; sharing his experience in marine science, seaweed cultivation, and education while drawing inspiration from Amma's holistic approach to sustainability, community, and spiritual values.

Reflecting on his experiences, he shares:
"I believe that lasting solutions emerge when science, community engagement, and compassion work hand in hand. Seeing these principles expressed through Amma's activities gives me hope and inspiration for the future." 🫂 🔬 🌳

Just as healthy ecosystems thrive through interconnected relationships, so too do the partnerships that help create lasting change.

03/08/2026

August 2, 2026 - More than 1,000 participants and staff across AMMACHI Labs and the Center for Women's Empowerment & Gender Equality (CWEGE) projects came together in support of Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat. 🇮🇳

From our research centers, to our Seaweed Cultivation Projects in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, Women Empowerment Projects across Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and the WADI project in Odisha, teams joined the national event, watched the address and took the pledge, reaffirming a shared commitment to healthier, safer and more empowered communities.

At AMMACHI Labs and the Center for Women's Empowerment & Gender Equality, empowerment is holistic. It is not only about livelihoods, education, or skills, it is also about nurturing well-being, awareness, resilience and the collective strength to build a better future.

Guided by Amma’s vision of compassion in action, our teams stand with the national call for a drug-free, aware and empowered India.

02/08/2026

United for a Drug-Free Future. 💙

Today, the AMMACHI Labs team proudly participated in the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (Drug-Free India Campaign) Anti-Drug Pledge, reaffirming our commitment to promoting awareness, healthy choices, and stronger communities.

Together, every pledge is a step towards a healthier, safer, and drug-free India.

02/08/2026

Members of our Wadi project in Kurumitha village, Dhenkanal District - Odisha, supporting Nasha Mukt Yuva today 🌻

02/08/2026

The women of the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Wadi project in Gobardhanpur Village, Hindol Block, Dhenkanal District - Odisha, supporting Nasha Mukta Yuva!