Science and technology has been a core area of VMFT’s activities since its inception. The dissemination and broad-based understanding of scientific knowledge is critical to a democratic society and good governance. The application of scientific knowledge through technology is essential to promote the growth and progress of the society and it must be done in an equitable manner, so that all can benefit.
VMFT aims to find practical and realistic solutions that can be applied in Kerala’s context to address the key challenges in sustainable development. While there are many topics to be covered, we focus on energy conservation, water management, waste management and climate change. Involving local communities in understanding the problems and defining solutions is an important perspective that VMFT brings to this work.
An emerging area is the implication of the development of digital technologies, automation and artificial intelligence for the “Future of Work and the Worker”. It is necessary for society to discuss the implications of these technology trends sweeping the globe which have far-reaching implications for equity and inclusive governance.
In the future, VMFT hopes to undertake research studies on the involvement of local communities and to contribute to policy making.