To stop wild animals from attacking their crops, villagers of Uttarakhand are ensuring more fruit trees and plants are available to the animals within the forest
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Dry toilets to help Ladakh in organic farming
Bacteria boosters that help night soil decompose faster and increase crop productivity, help in promotion of traditional dry toilets, and thus organic farming and water conservation
Traditional breeders conserve indigenous Dangi cattle
Indigenous Dangi cattle are found in pockets of Nasik, Thane and Ahmednagar districts. A majority of farmers rear Dangi cattle for draft purpose and for dairy products. In general, the entire family of a farmer is engaged in animal rearing. In 2014, BAIF Development Research Foundation (BAIF) initiated the conservation and revival of indigenous breeds… Continue reading Traditional breeders conserve indigenous Dangi cattle
Haryana introduces crop diversification to prevent groundwater exploitation
India is the world’s largest user of groundwater with over 80% of the rural and urban domestic water supplies met by available groundwater. But each year the water table keeps falling in different states, but considerably more in some states. As Haryana makes news for being challenged by low and falling water tables, the Haryana… Continue reading Haryana introduces crop diversification to prevent groundwater exploitation
Climate change disrupts livelihood of Kerala’s fishers
Extreme weather and cyclone alerts reducing the number of fishing days, besides dwindling fish catch, climate change is taking a toll on fishers’ livelihood
Lockdown initiative links villagers to social welfare benefits
Mission Gaurav, an initiative to support rural households during the lockdown, makes villagers aware of various government welfare schemes and helps them access the entitlements
Rains and elephants compound farmers’ lockdown challenges
Incessant rains and wild elephants damaged water melons that cultivators could not sell during the lockdown. Organizations helped them reach buyers via social media
Enabling policies are necessary to ensure gender equality
The pandemic has exacerbated the multiple barriers that women face. Gender-specific policies and accountability in implementation are needed to ensure gender inclusivity
Committed efforts will create progressive villages
By working together with zeal, development organizations and governments can overcome inherent challenges in rural India and bring about a positive change
Ration sustains marginalized households through lockdown
Relief package of dry rations alleviated the hunger and food insecurity of informal wage workers who had lost their livelihood during the pandemic
Rural job guarantee program sequesters tons of carbon
MGNREGS, the anti-poverty scheme has ensured food security to millions, especially during the pandemic. The natural asset created through the scheme helps in carbon capture
Kashmir’s plum no longer a plum crop for farmers
With increasing production costs and constant selling price over the years, farmers find growing plums economically unviable. They hope to explore new markets for better returns
Women sustain traditional wisdom of conserving indigenous seeds
Understanding the close link between crop diversity and resilience, women farmers in Mandla ensure that the conservation practice of climate-resilient traditional seeds continues
Extreme weather events destroy Himachal’s apple orchards
Unseasonal rains, snow fall and hailstorms have damaged lakhs of apple trees, ruining Shimla’s famed fruits. This has dented the orchardists’ income and government’s revenue
Women volunteers allay vaccine fears in Jharkhand
Acting as a bridge between communities and public health services, setu didis addressed the concerns of villagers and convinced them to get vaccinated
Villagers demolish flood-ravaged homes to save recyclables
Families in the Champaran districts demolished their own houses to save construction materials before the entire house was washed away by River Sikrahna in spate
Ostriches or supplicants? Missing home insurance in rural India
Disasters destroy houses. Despite living in disaster-prone areas, people do not opt for home insurance. They prefer to take the disaster relief offered by the government
Pandemic pushes impoverished villagers into further debts
With income from marginal landholdings and rain-fed agriculture unable to sustain them, tribal communities migrate for work to clear loans. Pandemic has pushed them into perpetual debts
Conservation of bio-resources improves farmer’s livelihood
Revival of non-forest timber produce species that are rare and have market value, and the species’ mass multiplication ensures conservation while enhancing farm income
Supplementary teaching helps students’ overall development
The activity-based program, aimed at age-appropriate learning of students in government schools, has also improved their academic performance, besides ensuring comprehensive progress