R & D Activities

Areas of Research

• Ecology, Biodiversity and Biotechnology
• Food and Nutrition
• Sustainable agriculture
• Ayurveda and other Indian sciences
• Public Health
• Science Popularisation
• Clean Technologies
• Disaster management
• Water Conservation
• Information & Communication Technology

Objectives of Research being undertaken

• Conservation and sustainable utilization of its components.
• Under take biodiversity, medicinal plants diversity research in both codified and ethnobotany.
• Conduct research activities on sustainable organic agriculture and develop noval organic inputs.
• Conduct research programmes on ecology and aquatic ecosystems including marine to improve the productivity and sustainability.
• Research on Food habits, Food Economics and Food Policies.
• validation of ayurvedic products with modern parameters.
• Evaluating communication tools for science popularization.
• green technologies especially reducing carbon foot print and also develop expertise in conducting green auditing among Government and public institutions.
• mitigate environmental impacts due to natural calamities such as lightning, flood and epidemics.

Infrastructural Facilities

• CISSA Head office at Thiruvananthapuram city with  a space of 3500 sq.ft building located in 20 cents.
• CISSA Foundation for Development own old building 6000 sq.ft and land of 2.10 acres acquired at Vilappilsala, Thiruvananthapuram.
• Banana Resource Centre (CISSA- BRC) at Punnamoodu,  Thiruvananthapuram with a space of 3000 sq.ft building with 40 cents.
• Research Lab has been established with 1000 sq.ft and contain essential equipment to carryout research programmes.

All these facilities mentioned are exclusively used for R&D programmes, and extension activities.

Research Lab

A research lab has been established to give scientific backup for the research programmes being conducted by the institute. At present the lab has basic infrastructure facilities like Autoclave, BoD incubator, Laminar Flow, Ultra centrifuge, Shaker, Microprocessor, Spectrophotometer etc. Presently the lab is headed by Dr.P.N.Krishnan, Former Director Grade Scientist, JNTBGRI, Thiruvananthapuram.

This lab is not only used for our scientific purpose but also extended services to other R& D institutes and researchers across Kerala for during their project works.

Human Resources

Research Advisory Board

Past R& D Achievements [(in last 14 years)

The institute implemented research programmes on the different thrust areas with the support from DST, NMPB, KSCSTE, DoECC, KITE, Dept of Museums & Zoos, Govt of Kerala and from other private agencies.

• ICT Based Awareness and Action Workshop on Electronic Waste- Amount Rs.3 Lakhs- Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE)-Science Popularisation- Year 2017-19
• Estimation of Carbon Footprint in School Campuses and Creation of Low Carbon School Campus Plans for Individual Schools in Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala- KSCSTE-Environment & Ecology Scheme-Amount Rs.6.03 Lakhs –Year 2019-20
• Propagation and enrichment/augmentation planting of selected medicinal plants in Venganoor Grama Panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram-Rs.1.5 Lakh- State  Medicinal Plants Board, Government of Kerala- Scheme Implementation of Home Herbal Garden-Year 2017-19
• Estimation of Carbon Footprint in School Campuses and Creation of Low  Carbon School Campus Plans for ten Schools in Munnar, Idukki District- Amount Rs.8.66 Lakhs -Department of Environment & Climate Change, Government of Kerala-Scheme Climate Change-Year 2017-19
• Acceleration of sustainable organic farming in Thiruvananthapuram District through establishment of organic input units and farmer participatory approach- Amount Rs.27.83 Lakhs-SEED Division, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India- Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) -Year 2016-19
• Ex-situ conservation of Medicinal Plants through the establishment of Homestead Medicinal Plant Terrace Gardens for Primary Healthcare in Urban Setting: A Pilot Participatory Project in Thiruvananthapuram City -2 Lakhs-State Medicinal Plants Board, Government of Kerala-Implementation of Home Herbal Garden- Year 2016-17
• Mass awareness programme on lightning hazards in Kerala- Amount Rs.13.95 Lakhs-KSCSTE-Environment & Ecology-Year 2015-16
• Homestead herbal gardens for primary health care in Kerala , Alappuzha District- Amount Rs.1 Lakh-State  Medicinal Plants Board, Government of Kerala- Implementation of Home Herbal Garden-Year 2011-12

On-going Research Programmes: 

• Urban Home Herbal Gardens in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kerala through Grow bag Cultivation: An Innovative Approach by Ex-situ Conservation and Utilization of Medicinal Plants for Primary Health Care- Rs.12.5 Lakhs -Supported by NMPB-Central sector schemes for Development & conservation, sustainable Management of medicinal plants-year of commencement 2020
• Neutralisation of enhanced carbon foot print in schools  established with Smart Hi-tech class rooms in Kerala –Amount Rs.1 Lakh-Supported by KITE, Govt. of Kerala – year of commencement 2020
• Lake Restoration -Museums and Zoos, Thiruvananthapuram – Amount Rs.1.33 lakhs-Directorate of Museums and Zoos, Govt. of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram-Waste Management Scheme – year of commencement 2019

Future Research Programmes (2021 – 2025):

• “Establishment of Home Herbal Gardens in Selected Panchayaths of Thiruvananthapuram District, under National Campaign on 20 Medicinal Plants for 2020” – Amount Rs.50 Lakhs- Submitted to NMPB-Scheme: NATIONAL CAMPAIGN ON 20 MEDICINAL PLANTS FOR 2020
• Livelihood Enhancement of Selected Tribal Settlements of Pathanamthitta District, Kerala Through Plant Resources Enrichment (with Special Emphasis on Malappandaram)- Submitted to Directorate of Scheduled Tribes Development Department-Rs.175.3 Lakhs
• Biodiversity Documentation of The Sacred Groves of Kerala- Submitted to Kerala State Biodiversity Board-Rs.58 Lakhs
• Survey, Documentation And Evaluation of Landscape Potential Of Urban Plant Diversity In Thiruvananthapuram And Its Environs, Kerala- Submitted to Kerala State Biodiversity Board-Rs.45 Lakhs
• Popularisation and Commercialisation of Banana Fibre for Augmenting the Income of Banana Farmers-Submitted to Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd.

Future plans  (2021-2025)

• CISSA keeping in view of future requirements, 2.1 acre acquired will be developed by constructing a state of the art laboratory, seminar halls, Auditorium, Scientist Home, Students Hostel, CISSA office  etc.
• We are planning buy the following equipments for expansion of the labs- Electronic Balances Micro (1.0 mg sensitivity, 10.0 mg sensitivity), Laminar Clean bench (6 feet), Inverted Microscope with camera attachment, UV-VIS Spectrophotometer, Brunswick Shakers, Microwave Owen, Circulating water bath, PCR Machine, Ultra centrifuge, Green House, Culture racks, Generator  60 KVA. Total (Rs in Lakhs): 35.75
• Establishment of “Global Ayurveda Academy” for fostering research and academic excellence
• Start “Indian Biodiversity Journal”
• Establishment of “International Institute for Biodiversity”
• Establishment of E-waste collection & management system in Kerala
• Establishment of farmer clusters for Banana, Tuber crops throughout the State integrating technology developed by CISSA and National Institutes
• Start courses on EIA, Green audit, Organic Farming, Vrikshayurveda, Ethno Veterinary practices, Biodiversity and Taxonomy, Sustainable agriculture and Climate change

Linkages with industry

• DST SEED facilitated Organic farming input centres
• NABARD-Food processing value added product from tuber crops
• NABARD-Banana Fibre Extraction
• ICAR-CTCRI- Organic pesticides- Nanma, Menma and Shreya

Collaborations/Partners  (Both National  and International)

• CISSA partner with various national and international agencies for its activities which includes the following:
• Govt. of India:-

Ministry of AYUSH, Department of Science and Technology (DST), National Biodiversity Authority(NBA), National Horticulture Mission (NHM),National Horticulture Board(NHB), CSIR, DBT, National Rural Health Mission (NHRM).

• Govt. of Kerala:-

Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Civil Supplies, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Kerala State Horticulture  Mission, Agency for Non-conventional Energy & Rural Technology (ANERT), Energy Management Centre (EMC), Total Energy Security Mission (TESM), Dept. of Climate Change.

• Universities:-

Pondicherry University, SRM University, Kerala University, IISc Bangalore

• International Agencies:-

UN University  Japan, Slow Food International, Italy; The French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME), France; Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), Vienna.

• NGOs:-

CPR Foundation Chennai, Centre for Environment Education(CEE) Bangalore, Navdanya India; Toxics Link New Delhi, Society of Energy Engineers and Managers (SEEM), Thiruvananthapuram; French Institute, Kerala Voluntary Agencies League (KAVAL), Santhigram Thiruvananthapuram, Mitraniketan Thiruvananthapuram

Recognitions:

• Headquarters-Regional Centre for Expertise (RCE), Thiruvananthapuram, acknowledged by UN University.
• Partner – United Nations Decade on Biodiversity
• Partner – International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN)
• Partner- Jackfruit Promotion Council
• Partner – International Year of Soils (2015)

Awards (Both National and International)

• Global Prize of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) – Okayama Award 2017 of Japan, United Nations University
• Best Organisation for Biodiversity Conservation- The State Biodiversity Award 2017 – Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Govt. of Kerala
• Metro Mart’s Food Innovation Award 2018
• Medibiz Ayur Excellence Award 2017 
• Sresta Seva Puraskaram 2016 from Jackfruit Promotion Council

For more details Contact:

Email: cissabiodiversity@gmail.com