Since 8 October, the BRIGHT-Futures team, consisting of Hannah(s), Navya, Ingo, Bowy, and Huei Ying, has been in Kerala for their first scoping trip. The objectives of this trip are to meet with collaborators, establish official collaboration agreements, and visit farmers and their fields to gain a deeper understanding of local farming systems. We were deeply touched by the hospitality and generosity of our Keralan partners, as well as the farmers’ passion for their work!

With all PhD candidates on board, we held a workshop to prepare for our first fieldwork this fall. The workshop was supported by the PhD candidates of Jun. Prof. Dr. Seufert- Haani T. and Julia Fortin. It was a truly productive day!

We warmly welcome Hannah Uther (Topic: Ecosystem Ecology), Hannah Melcher (Topic: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services), and Navya Miriam Itty (Topic: Socio-economics) to the team!

It was a productive day for the BF Team. During the workshop, we clearly defined our research goals and outlined the first steps toward achieving them- setting a strong foundation for the project’s success ahead.