When Riya Kalluvila left her small town in Wisconsin for the bustling fields of Hyderabad, she was stepping into more than just an internship; she was bridging two worlds.
As a Borlaug-Ruan International intern, Kalluvila — who has roots in both the northern and southern regions of India — found herself at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), studying how staple crops like mung bean and urd bean withstand intense rainfall and drought. Her work in sustainable agriculture embodies the spirit of the U.S.-India collaboration, where young scientists from both nations join forces to tackle climate change and bolster food security in India.
Kalluvila’s summer project at ICRISAT focuses on the impact of waterlogging — a rising concern as extreme weather events become more frequent. Her research has far-reaching implications, offering insights into how India’s agricultural sector, which supports millions of livelihoods, can adapt to unpredictable monsoon patterns.
“This research could make a real difference in food security and stability for many communities across India,” Kalluvila noted in a blog post about her experience. “It’s critical to develop crops that can handle both drought and flooding .”
Academic exchange programs like the Borlaug-Ruan Internship, Fulbright-Nehru Research Grants and Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships are essential components of the U.S.-India partnership on climate resilience. These programs foster connections between American and Indian researchers, building a network of scholars dedicated to finding solutions for agricultural challenges in the face of climate change.
Through these exchanges, students and researchers share knowledge, technologies and strategies that enhance the resilience of crops and farming communities alike. Indian scholars, too, are taking their expertise to the United States to refine their approaches to climate-resilient agriculture.
Pramod Deshmukh , a Fulbright-Nehru Climate Leadership alumnus, uses water conservation research from Purdue University to help farmers in Maharashtra improve soil health with rainwater collection. His work with the Integrated Watershed Management Project, supported by India’s National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, helps farmers rely less on unpredictable rainfall, allowing them to maintain their crops even in challenging weather conditions.
Indians like Deshmukh now represent the largest proportion of foreign exchange students studying in the United States, according to a report released for International Education Week. As the impacts of climate change intensify, collaborations like these are in the spotlight during COP29 , the United Nations climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.
COP29 President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev has emphasized the importance of research like Kalluvila’s to offset climate-related stressors on global food security. “Climate change is already lowering crop yields, contributing to water shortages and land degradation, and limiting our ability to feed a growing planet,” Babayev said.
“By integrating agriculture into national climate strategies, COP29 aims to promote sustainable practices and enhance food system resilience.”
U.S.-India academic exchanges give researchers like Kalluvila and Deshmukh a global view and help develop sustainable practices essential for future food security. These programs bolster bilateral ties and shared climate goals.
As more Indian and American researchers train through these exchanges, their agricultural innovations will benefit not just India and the U.S., but countries everywhere facing the challenges of climate change.
Learn how India and the United States fight pollution in their great rivers, team up to protect forests and lead on addressing the climate crisis through their partnership.
