My research focuses on the economics of natural resources with a particular interest in understanding the interplay between ecological and economic systems. The central question that my research addresses is if resource users can manage natural resources in a manner that respects ecological integrity and institutional norms. This inter-disciplinary research is a new sub-field in economics, called Ecological Economics, and differs from the traditional neoclassical economics, which would consider the natural environment as another raw material used in the production process. I apply advanced ecological economic tools to three major areas: renewable resources including water and fisheries, ecosystem services valuation, and agro-ecological systems, and help policy makers and stakeholders choose sustainable resource management strategies.
- Sustainability of the Florida fresh produce supply chain under future climate change. More on the project site. Link to full text paper in Sustainability journal.
- IWRM and sustainable agricultural water resource development in India. Link to full-text paper in Water journal.
- On economic value of carbon in Discovery, NSF News November 14, 2016, with my student, Meenakshi Jerath, Dr. Victor H. Rivera-Monroy and Dr. Edward Castaneda-Moya.
- Regional economic impacts of extending marine protected areas in the Florida Pulley Ridge region (See an article from Marine Policy journal: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2019.103628)
- Effects of climate change risk perception on valuing Florida staghorn corals (see our article from Ocean & Coastal Management journal:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105244 - Valuing carbon and recreational fishery ecosystem services of the Florida Everglades. See articles from the Environmental Science and Policy (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2016.09.005); Science of the Total Environment (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.038); Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management)
My funding sources (~ $22 million):
- USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- National Science Foundation
- USDA Office of Partnership and Public Engagement
- USDA Foreign Agriculture Service
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Walmart Foundation
- J P Morgan Chase Foundation
- Everglades National Park
- The Miami Foundation
- Other
Saoli Chanda, Yared Bayissa, Mahadev Bhat, Carlos Parra, Kateel Shetty, Ronald Mesia, Assefa Melesse, Krishnaswamy Jayachandran, Stephany Alvarez-Ventura. “Florida Tomato and Strawberry Supply Chains: Strategies for a Resilient Future.” SERC Contribution Number 1033, Institute of Environment, Agroecology Program, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA, August 2021.