M S Swaminathan Research Foundation - MSSRF

“In our village, men are usually seen as the breadwinners, even though it is not always true.”

With quiet determination, Nilla has built her own identity as a dairy farmer. Support from the Kulumai Milk Producers Company marked a turning point—bringing greater transparency, fair pricing and dignity to her labour.

Read her story: https://mssrf.org/stories-of-change

This , MSSRF turned to indigenous knowledge, nature-based solutions and community participation as pathways to a climate resilient future.

MSSRF’s Seed Festival in Odisha spotlit indigenous seed conservation. In Wayanad, tree planting drives mobilised community action, while MSSRF’s staff in Chennai brainstormed ways to further strengthen the relationship between our theories and practice.

Read more: https://mssrf.org/stories-of-change

This we revisit ghost gear — a growing danger to ocean health and coastal livelihoods. How did it escalate, and how do we solve for it?

Read more: https://www.mssrf.org/stories-of-change/ghost-gear-explainer

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

“Wanted! Seas and Oceans – Dead or Alive?” This was the urgent call of in 2004.

Reflecting on it then, Prof. M.S. Swaminathan spoke of the need for a sea care movement—one rooted in community action, awareness, and sustainable stewardship of our coasts. Crucially, he also highlighted the importance of delivering timely, reliable information to fishers at sea.

Today, that vision lives on through MSSRF’s Fisher Friendly Mobile App that uses technology to empower livelihoods.

We picked chits. We passed a ball. We travelled to 2030.

This World Environment Day, MSSRF turned the spotlight inward and asked its staff: What should climate action look like? And what role should MSSRF play?

The ideas came fast.
🌿Can we reduce the need for online deliveries?
🌿Can we use public transport more often?
🌿What can we learn from communities that have lived in balance with nature for generations?
🌿How do we bring more young people into climate decision-making?
🌿 What would MSSRF need to do today to become a climate leader by 2030?

The most exciting part? There were no wrong answers.

From personal stories about changing weather to bold visions for the future, the room was full of ideas, questions, and hope.

Because building a better future starts with listening.

What does "planetary health" mean to you?

On World Environment Day, we put the question to our colleagues through a live word cloud. As the responses poured in, one word stood out above all others:

Biohappiness🌏
A term championed by Prof. M. S. Swaminathan, Biohappiness reminds us that human well-being and the health of nature are deeply connected.

The word cloud also featured words like biodiversity, resilience, balance, sustainability, and harmony, showing that when we think about the future, we think about people and nature thriving together.

A simple question. One powerful answer.

MSSRF is working with state governments to strengthen the rights and recognition of women farmers, with a particular focus on land ownership and access to resources. Building on Prof. M. S. Swaminathan's long-standing vision for gender equity in agriculture, these efforts aim to ensure that women farmers receive the support, opportunities, and legal recognition they deserve.

Read the piece on Civil Society: mssrf.org/mssrf-media