CSIR and MSSRF collaborate to enhance livelihoods for rural and tribal communities

New Delhi: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on generating livelihoods for rural, tribal, and farming communities.

The agreement, signed by Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR, and Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of MSSRF, aims to enhance outreach and impact in these communities through the transfer of affordable and practical technologies.

During the signing ceremony, Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, DG, CSIR highlighted that although CSIR labs disseminate technologies developed in the labs to potential users, the outreach, especially in the societal sector, would be enhanced through joining hands with organizations such as MSSRF, which works at the grassroot level.

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF stated that the Foundation, in its efforts to reach out to the tribal and vulnerable communities, is seeking select low-cost, affordable and potential technologies and technical support from CSIR laboratories as a technology facilitating partner under this umbrella MoU since the tribals or various other such groups are not able to directly approach CSIR labs due to many inherent reasons such as geographical location, language of communication and lack of required resources.

The MoU outlines a framework for a meaningful association, enabling the transfer of affordable and proven technologies from CSIR laboratories to self-help groups (SHGs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), farmer-producer organizations (FPOs), and other voluntary organizations selected by MSSRF. This initiative aims to empower women and tribal populations by providing them with the tools and knowledge needed for sustainable livelihood generation.

CSIR, known for its mission to drive scientific and technological advancements with global impact, conducts research and development in various fields, including i) Healthcare; ii) Agri, Nutrition & Biotechnology; iii) Energy and Energy devices; iv) Chemicals, Leather and Petrochemicals; v) Mining, Minerals, Metals and Materials; vi) Civil infrastructure & Engineering; and vii) Aerospace, Electronics and Instrumentation & Strategic Sector; viii) Ecology, Environment, Earth  Sciences and Water.

MSSRF, a non-profit trust recognized as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India, focuses on addressing the practical problems faced by rural populations through a pro-poor, pro-women, and pro-nature approach. The foundation applies appropriate science and technology solutions in agriculture, food, and nutrition across its sub-centres and field stations throughout the country.