India: Kerala, Punjab, NATIONAL

Where are the “bright spots” of sustainable farming and food systems in India?

In our recent Future Food Systems Summits, held in Kerala, Punjab, and New Delhi (Pan-India level) in January and February 2024, we brought together a diverse group of food system experts and change-makers. We chose these locations because they represent the diversity of food systems across India and have distinct challenges and opportunities to work toward a more sustainable future. This summit provided a unique platform for networking, identifying common goals, and developing actionable plans for a brighter future.

Thank you for being a part of this transformative experience!

Summit participation

Highlights of the Summit:

Joining forces to transform the system

To enact the changes we need in agriculture and food systems, we need to join forces with others. That is why we brought different types of organizations together to network, identify common goals, and develop a shared action plan to achieve transformation of the agri-food system towards sustainability.

As part of a participatory research project, we offered a 2-day Future Food Systems Summit series for food system professionals and community members.

Day 1

Visioning workshop

Together, participants crafted an inspiring vision for the future food system, discussing the values they share that underlie this vision.

Day 2

Knowledge Sharing and Networking Session

Along with identifying concrete actions toward their food system vision, participants shared their knowledge and experiences working toward sustainable future food systems.

How can we work together to make just and sustainable food systems a reality?

Workshop Highlights

Follow the links to learn more about the highlights of each workshop!

Workshop in Kerala

KERALA: 24-25 January 2024 at Central Training Institute, Kerala Agricultural University, Mannuthy, Thrissur

Workshop in Punjab

PUNJAB: 14-15 February 2024 at PAMETI, Punjab agricultural University, Ludhiana

Workshop in New Delhi

NEW DELHI: 21-22 February 2024 at Division of Agricultural extension, IARI, New Delhi.

See all Workshop Summaries

Follow the link to our Publications page to see all summaries from Mexico and India in one place.

Watch an interview with Dr. Anne Elise Stratton and several Bright Spots participants on the Indian Agricultural News, DD Kisan. The interview starts at minute 5:30.

The journey continues

Stay Connected with Bright Spots Project

As we move forward with the Bright Spots project, our next step is to identify indicators that will help us track our progress toward our shared vision for a better food system. By mapping these indicators, we aim to uncover “bright spots”—positive examples of sustainable agriculture and food systems in Mexico and India. These bright spots are not just solutions; they can be sources of inspiration and practical knowledge that can help us improve our food systems.

We invite you to stay connected with the Bright Spots project as we collectively seek solutions to food system sustainability challenges. By working together, we can gain a deeper understanding, learn from these positive examples, and work to share this valuable knowledge in ways that are meaningful to you.

Your ongoing engagement is vital as we build on the momentum generated during the Summits. Thank you for being an essential part of our journey toward a resilient and sustainable food future!

Our India team

Prof. Dr. Verena Seufert
Junior Professor
verena.seufert@uni-hohenheim.de
Dr. Anne Elise Stratton
Postdoctoral Researcher
ae.stratton@uni-hohenheim.de
Dr. Haseena Kadiri
Research Coordinator India
india@brightspotsproject.com
Julie Fortin
PhD Candidate
julie.fortin@uni-hohenheim.de
Simran Kaur
Research Coordinator India
india@brightspotsproject.com

Our India collaborators

Dr. Archana Raghavan Sathyan
Assistant Professor & Collaborator - Kerala Agricultural University
archana.rs@kau.in
Dr. Satyapriya
Principal Scientist & Collaborator- Division of Agricultural Extension, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute
head_exten@iari.res.in
Dr. S R Bishnoi
Scientist, & Collaborator Division of Agricultural Extension, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute,
srbishnoi@iari.res.in
Dr. Vijesh Krishna
Research Collaborator, Lead Economist at CIMMYT Hyderabad
v.krishna@cgiar.org