About Us
The Budget Speech 2018-19 of University of Kerala envisaged the starting of a ‘Centre for Agroecology and Public Health’ to collaborate with a HORIZON 2020 European Union (EU) project, NEXTFOOD. – Educating the Next generation of Professionals in Agrifood System. Prior to this, the Department of Economics had collaborated with Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway and had engaged in a Collaborative Project titled ‘Agroecology: Action Research and Education: India-Norway Cooperation’. The NEXTFOOD project is implemented through Welthungerhilfe (WHH), Germany from 2018 to April, 2022. The project is supported by EU H2O2O and led by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
The objectives of the Centre include,
- To provide the necessary infrastructure in entering into international collaboration in the field of agroecology and public health.
- To provide training to develop capabilities in Action Based Learning in agroecology and public health by fostering knowledge and skills for analysing and developing sustainable agroecological and public health models.
- To develop human resources in the fields of sustainable development with focus on agroecology and public health.
- To undertake research studies in agroecology and public health
- To facilitate case studies in the area of agroecology and public health to identify gaps and needs.
- To create a platform for knowledge sharing for the diverse stakeholders.
Advisory Board
- Prof. (Dr.) V. P. Mahadevan Pillai (Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, University of Kerala)
- Dr. Nazeeb S. (Member, Syndicate and Convener, Standing Committee of the Syndicate on Academics and Research)
- Dr. Anitha V. (Professor and Head, Department of Economics)
- Dr. Prasad A.K. (Professor, Department of Economics)
- Dr. Dr. Ravi Prasad Varma (Associate Professor in Epidemiology, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies)
- Dr. Sindhu Thulaseedaran (Associate Professor and Head, Department of Law)
- Dr. Amrita V. (Assistant Professor, Principal Investigator, Honey Bee project, College of Agriculture, Vellayani)
- Dr. Manju S. Nair (Hon. Director, Centre for Agroecology and Public Health, Prof. Department of Economics)
Vision and Mission
Agroecological revolutions at different levels will be able to address the major public health challenges of the twenty first century including malnutrition, obesity, life style diseases, and stress related health issues. By enhancing and exploring the bio-diversity health nexus, the Centre envisions to develop new research models based on action research, which has a practical implication.”
Centre for Agroecology and Public Health, Department of Economics, University of Kerala has a mission to facilitate studies in agroecology and public health through action learning and research model, particularly in collaboration with national and international agencies to provide inputs for policy action.”
Timeline
The collaborative project titled ‘Agroecology: Action Research and Education -India Norway Cooperation’ kindled scope for international collaborative research in action learning and research. Since then, the centre continues with activities that aims co-creation and dissemination of knowledge, required for agroecological transition.
- International Workshop on ‘Developing collaboration for agroecological education and research’- April 2017
- Certificate course on Agroecology and Action Research in collaboration with Norwegian University of Life Sciences – June 2017
- Faculty /Student visit to NMBU- August 2017
- International Workshop on Agroecology Action Learning and Education-April 2018
- Certificate course on Agroecology and Action Research in collaboration with Norwegian University of Life Sciences – May 2018
- Faculty /Student visit to NMBU- August 2018
- Stakeholder in Next food project- August 2018
- Case presentation by CAPH at NEXTFOOD WP2 meeting: “Action research in 13 cases” – September 17-19 2018, Pollenzo, Italy
- Two day workshop on training session on SPSS during 20th and 21st March 2019
- Planning Workshop and FGD of Academic Leaders – March 28, 2019
- International Symposium on ‘Agroecology: New Lens to Sustainable Development’ – 03.2019
- One-month certificate course on Agroecology: Action Research and Education- April, 2019
- ‘Focus Group Discussion- Inventory of Skills’ for stakeholders in Nextfood project – May 17
- Two-day residential training program on Palliative care was jointly organized by Department of Student Services, National Service Scheme, Centre for Agroecology and Public Health and Pallium India – 10th and 11th October 2019
- Participation and presentation at Horizon 2020 NEXTFOOD Work Package-2 Meeting at University of Gastronomic Sciences, Italy
- Participation at Horizon 2020 NEXTFOOD Work Package-1 Meeting at University of South Bohemia in Czech Republic
- Participation Horizon 2020 NEXTFOOD Work Package-2 Meeting at ISEKI Foundation, Austria