Tata-Cornell Institute

"Staples are not being replaced. They are being reconfigured."

As Indian incomes rise, economists expected the population to eat more diverse diets, but, as TCI Scholar Annie Gurmeher Kaur argues, many Indians are eating more calorie-dense processed foods, not nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables.

Learn more 🍅 https://tci.cornell.edu/?blog=india-is-spending-less-on-food-the-food-its-buying-should-worry-us

Amid India's effort to promote farmer producer organizations, how are women faring? Writing for Behan Box, journalist Jaideep Hardikar cites our research while reporting on a women-led FPO whose experiences reveal the promises and contradictions of the push to turn poor rural women into agri-entrepreneurs.

Read the article 📰 https://behanbox.com/2026/07/30/growing-rapidly-farmer-producer-units-now-have-a-capital-problem/

Read our report on FPOs 📗 https://tci.cornell.edu/?publications=the-state-of-farmer-producer-organizations-in-india-performance-trends-and-the-role-of-gender

Growing Rapidly, Farmer Producer Units Now Have A Capital Problem A women-led farmer producer company in Maharashtra’s drought-prone Dharashiv district reveals both the promise and the contradictions of India's ambitious attempt to turn poor rural women into agri entrepreneurs

In India's push to promote farmer producer organizations for agricultural development, why do some fail while others succeed? In our report on the State of FPOs in India, we looked at what the data says.

Learn more ℹ️ https://tci.cornell.edu/?blog=seven-charts-that-explain-why-some-fpos-succeed-while-others-fail

Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia is back! 🌏

We're inviting abstracts on research and experiences that explore how to navigate systems in transition to improve diets and nutrition across South Asia.

📍 Colombo, Sri Lanka + online
📅 Deadline: Aug 25

More: bit.ly/D4N2026

The rise of supermarkets in India has helped to increase the incomes of farmers who sell directly to them, but has it improved their nutrition? TCI-supported research shows that farm households that sell to supermarkets consume more vitamin A and zinc.

Learn more 👩‍🌾 https://tci.cornell.edu/?news=study-finds-supermarket-sales-improve-farmers-nutrition

As a TCI scholar, Vanisha Sharma conducted field-based research despite the limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with the Evans Policy Analysis and Research Group at the University of Washington, she's expanding her study of climate adaptation by small-scale farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Learn more ℹ️ https://tci.cornell.edu/?news=tci-alumna-digs-into-climate-tech-adoption-around-the-world

At TCI, we're dedicated to performing research that has a real impact on people's lives. That's why we prepare policy briefs that translate our research findings into policy recommendations.

Visit our website to access all of our policy briefs 📚️ https://tci.cornell.edu/?s=&post_type=publications&authors=&publication_type%5B%5D=policy-briefs

🌍 Call for Abstracts Now Open!

Join Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia 2026 ( ), a regional conference focused on improving diets and nutrition across South Asia.

📍 Colombo, Sri Lanka & online
🎯 Theme: Navigating Systems in Transition

🔗 Submit your abstract by August 25: bit.ly/D4N2026

What can we learn from India's highest-performing agricultural districts? Our newest policy brief offers lessons from India's hotspots.

Read the policy brief 📄 https://tci.cornell.edu/?publications=identifying-indias-agricultural-hotspots