Centre for Research on Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development

The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation is a non-profit trust established in July 1988, with funds derived from the First World Food Prize awarded to Dr. M.S. Swaminathan in October 1987.

The primary goal of the centre is the promotion of sustainable human livelihood and the conservation nature. It strives

·	to integrate the principles of ecological sustainability with those of economic efficiency and social equity in the development and dissemination of rural technologies
·	to take up the blending of traditional and frontier technologies for skilled jobs in the farm and non-farm sectors improve in rural areas
·	to develop knowledge and input delivery systems and management systems which will enable disadvantaged sections of rural communities, particularly women, to derive full benefit from technological progress.

In March 1990, the Foundation established a Centre for Research on sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development (CRSARD) as a registered society under the Tamil Nadu Societies’ Registration Act of 1976.

Three kinds of activities comprising research, integration and communication attempt to translate the vision of the Foundation into reality. These can at present grouped under five main programme areas:

·	Coastal System Research
·	Biodivesity
·	Biovillages
·	Reaching the Unreached
·	Education, Training and Communication

Six out of ten people world-wide live within 60 km of the seashore. India has a coastline of over 7500 km, Tamil Nadu’s alone extending across 1000 km. Coastal areas are amongst the most diverse ecosystems on earth, yet paradoxically, most people inhabiting the coastal areas in developing countries are poor. Hence CRSARD has chosen the integrated and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems for priority attention.

Biodiversity is the very foundation of biological productivity. The pressure of population as well as some of the present models of development are causing damage to major ecosystems resulting in the loss of habitats rich in flora and fauna. Neither the base for national food security system nor the challenge of potential changes in climate can be faced if we fail to conserve and utilise our genetic wealth.

·	establishment of the N.I. Vavilov Training Centre for Sustainable Management of Biodivesity
·	establishment of a Genetic Resource Centre for adaptation to sea level rise
·	saving endangered plant species
·	establishment of genetic gardens for sustainable agriculture
·	use of RFLP and RAPD analysis in the study of genetic variability in mangrove species

India is known to live in its villages, yet millions of rural people are in dire need of employment. The creation of opportunities for skilled employment, particularly for women and educated youth, is an urgent task. The “Biovillage”, a term used to denote the integration of recent advances in biological technology with the best in traditional technologies to enhance the livelihood security of rural people, is a response to this challenge.

This project aims to promote the efficient and sustainable use of natural resources and to achieve a continuous and steady growth of agricultural production while protecting and improving village environmental capital stocks.

·	establishment of a biovillage in three locations of the Union Territory of Pondicherry
·	farming systems research - an input - output analysis to locate areas for optimising economic practices
·	Bioenergy development as a substitute for chemical (non-renewable) energy sources.

An integral part of research on sustainable development is hat of enhancing the efficiency of organisational and delivery systems, with the objective of enabling technology packages and services to reach the hitherto unreached. The basic approach revolves around strengthening and improving existing systems of delivery and communications, rather than developing parallel systems, so that the population frequently bypassed by ongoing developmental programmes will have access to available services, technology and information.

The spread of awareness about the possibilities of new biological and other technologies is an essential aspect of sustainable development. This is particularly important because livelihood of the future is likely to be knowledge intensive rather than chemical or capital intensive. Programmes in this area hence provide the crucial link between emerging new developments in knowledge and technology, on the hand, and their adoption and spread on the other. In this area, the Foundation acts as a “centre without walls” drawing upon others, linking and sharing resources and throwing open its facilities to visiting scholars and researchers in order to learn from them.

The training programmes are at several levels - ranging from farmer - to - farmer interactions and local farmer - scientist interactions, to national and international gatherings for exchange of information and ideas, and the development of new concepts and networks.