Rice bankers of Muzaffarpur hold out hope for women’s empowerment

At a time when sexual abuse of women in a Muzaffarpur shelter for the homeless has roiled the nation’s conscience, women farmers in the district shine a beacon for empowerment by growing and selling rice saplings

Information helpline improves local governance in Nuh villages

An information center in Nuh district that lags in economic and social development has created awareness about government schemes and entitlements, and has empowered villagers to claim their rights

Reversing the indefensible culture of open defecation

Ending open defecation in India’s villages cannot be the sole responsibility of the government. The heads of rural households also need to made responsible to ensure that women have access to safe sanitation

Houseboat tourism floats rural economy in Alappuzha

People living in the water-bound villages of Alappuzha district in Kerala have seen more lucrative livelihood options due to the influx of tourists visiting the now famous backwaters throughout the year

Let’s align rural aspirations with rest of India

There is an immediate need to design and implement grassroots interventions in a way that ensures next-generation rural youth in India are able to have the same opportunities as the urban privileged

Women farmers deploy ducks to supercharge rice cultivation

Women farmers in Dinajpur are reviving organic farming and using backyard concoctions to tackle farm pests. They are also using innovative methods such as integrating duck rearing with rice cultivation

Village youth in Western Ghats enrich sacred grove

A bunch of passionate young men are saving big trees uprooted in the Sahyadri Mountains by transplanting them at their village’s sacred grove. And that’s just one part of their conservation work

Kapdaganda shawls of Dongria Kondhs in need of revival

Efforts are required to preserve kapdaganda shawls that embody the rich heritage of Dongria Kondh tribes of Niyamgiri. The weaving of kapdaganda could also provide a livelihood for the disadvantaged community

When the rural elite hijacks welfare schemes

Although there are multiple factors that interfere with the fair implementation of rural welfare programs, it is important to break the stranglehold of the rural elite and often co-opted local administration

Improved stoves boon for women in rural Sikkim

Smokeless cook stoves in Talkharka village near India-Bhutan border have improved the lives of village women by tackling noxious indoor air pollution, reducing firewood consumption and providing livelihoods

Native cattle breeds gain ground in Tamil Nadu

As global warming becomes increasingly evident across peninsular India, the conservation of indigenous cattle breeds that are hardy and better suited to withstand high temperatures has been gaining ground

Workers of closed tea gardens struggle to make a living

Tribal people in and around the shuttered tea gardens of north Bengal are living on the edge of destitution and are being forced to a life of hard labor and exploitation by local contractors to stave off starvation

Araku Valley takes baby steps to address maternal health

An initiative to reach healthcare services to pregnant women and new mothers in the underdeveloped Araku Valley has seen a measure of success in tribal communities ruled by superstition and regressive practices

Madhubani painters want better deal for their work

Despite global recognition, women painters of the Madhubani folk art form in Jitwarpur village have failed to escape the clutches of middlemen, who corner most of the profits. State initiatives could help stop the exploitation

Why do villagers often ignore obvious yet valuable things?

We need to figure out ways in which people in rural India are able to make reasoned and sustainable choices to lead their lives rather than flow with trends that are more expensive or patently unsuitable

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