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.