Our mission is to nurture research capacity and facilitate knowledge exchange among researchers and scholars in the global South. We focus on addressing pressing challenges related to planetary health, environmental sustainability, climate change, traditional medicine, and indigenous knowledge systems.

We envision a vibrant and inclusive global network of researchers and scholars, collaborating across disciplines and geographical boundaries to generate innovative solutions. Our goal is to promote human and planetary health, fostering a sustainable and equitable future for all.

1. Expand Membership: Engage early-career researchers and established scholars from diverse backgrounds across the global South.

2. Develop Mentorship Programs: Support skills development and research training for early-career researchers.

3. Foster Collaboration: Organize virtual and in-person events, workshops, and conferences focused on transdisciplinary research and holistic solutions.

4. Conduct Secondary Research: Contribute to addressing pressing health issues in the global South through transdisciplinary research.

5. Establish Partnerships: Collaborate with institutions, organizations, and policymakers to integrate indigenous knowledge into research and policy initiatives related to health and sustainability.

1. Establish MRN as a Leading Platform: Recognize MRN for its contributions to addressing health and environmental challenges in the global South.

2. Expand Primary Research: Address socio-ecological challenges through research focused on One Health and planetary health approaches.

3. Influence Policy Decisions: Strengthen connections with policymakers at national and continental levels to promote evidence-based solutions for health and environmental issues.

4. Integrate Indigenous Knowledge: Promote the inclusion of indigenous knowledge systems in research, policy, and practice to address health and sustainability.

5. Empower Communities: Support participatory research and capacity-building initiatives that are rooted in local contexts and foster sustainable change.

1. Mentor Early Career Researchers: Foster skills development and training in advanced research methodologies and tools to empower the next generation of researchers.

2. Strengthen Collaborative Networks: Build a diverse and interdisciplinary network of researchers, enabling transdisciplinary knowledge exchange and the sharing of research capacity.

3. Address Pressing Health Issues: Undertake transdisciplinary secondary research to tackle critical health challenges across the continent.

4. Advance Primary Research: Design and execute primary research using transdisciplinary approaches to explore complex interactions within socio-ecological systems. Focus areas include One Health, public health, and planetary health.

5. Leverage Indigenous Knowledge Systems: Integrate invaluable indigenous knowledge to bridge the past, present, and future in understanding health determinants and sustainable development.

6. Engage Policymakers: Facilitate roundtable discussions with national and continental policymakers to address challenges in planetary and human health across the Global South.

Our projects aim to develop robust frameworks to guide sustainability research in key areas such as:

• Climate and health

• Food and water security

• Infectious and non-communicable diseases

• Mental, physical, and spiritual well-being

• Emerging interdisciplinary fields yet to be explored

By employing systems-based thinking and research designs, we seek to strengthen findings through comprehensive investigations of the multifaceted dimensions driving sustainable development.

Our work emphasizes actionable recommendations and public health insights that resonate with people's lived experiences. This involves connecting scientific research with local households and communities, ensuring meaningful steps are taken toward expanding the planetary health field into practical, impactful solutions.

Tales from the MRN Grassroots Initiative

MRN Orientation Session