Uttar Pradesh youth help elderly access benefits

Unable to complete documentation formalities, elderly in rural areas like Asharfi Begum did not get the government’s old age pension, till educated youth helped them access it (Photo by Anand Pande)

Lack of literacy and complicated documentation were hurdles that hampered financially dependent rural elderly from accessing the government’s welfare schemes. Educated youth are helping them get the benefits

Pepper helps Rabhas to live with tuskers

Large herds of elephants destroy paddy crops in Assam every year before harvest (Photo by Mike Pence)

The Rabha people in Assam have taken to cultivating pepper in their homesteads to discourage elephants from ravaging paddy fields, and to also earn a neat income in the bargain

Kuthampully weavers facing decline in Kerala

The craft of Kuthampully weavers faces an uncertain future (Photo by Remya Padmadas)

For centuries, they have created Kerala’s classic off-white and gold sarees and veshtis. Now, low incomes, an ageing workforce, shifting demand and power looms are forcing changes in this traditional occupation

Fodder camps save cattle during Maharashtra drought

Fodder camps set up by the government and private organizations provide fodder and water and prevent distress sale of cattle by farmers (Photo by Varsha Torgalkar)

Providing fodder and water to cattle, government and private fodder camps in drought-affected Satara district in Maharashtra help farmers prevent distress sale of their livestock

Girls in rural Rajasthan show zeal for science

Geeta Meghwal’s decision to study science in a boys’ school, so as to follow her dreams, has prompted many girls to opt for science education (Photo by Rakhee Roytalukdar)

A rural student’s aspiration has broken gender stereotypes, inspiring girls to choose to study science subjects, with Atal Tinkering Labs, science fairs and other such initiatives increasing science literacy

Revival of Lambadi embroidery stems migration

Revival of their traditional embroidery has helped the Lambadi women augment their household income and prevent migration (Photo by Jency Samuel)

Failing monsoons forced Lambadi tribes in Sittilingi valley of Tamil Nadu to migrate, but a revival of traditional embroidery by women has enhanced household incomes and stemmed migration

Peri-urban villages shrivel in expanding rings of dryness

Many villages in the periphery of cities have taken to cultivating their farms with urban wastewater (Photo by Global Water Forum)

The rapidly expanding cities in western and peninsular India are soaking up water from the surrounding countryside for their own needs, leaving peri-urban villages drier in an already water-scarce region

Land shaping benefits Sundarban farmers

Gautam Bera’s wife is happy with the tomato harvest. Although farm productivity has increased after land shaping, local farmers are now facing challenges in tackling pest infestation (Photo by Dhruba Das Gupta)

A combination of reshaping land and harvesting rainwater has helped farmers in the Sundarbans to overcome soil salinity and increase farm incomes. They now need consistent technical support

How an organic experiment went wrong

With the native Thooyamalli paddy saplings ready for transplantation, Govindasamy believed everything was under control (Photo by Sathya Anbajagane)

The wilting of organic paddy in a coastal farm was misdiagnosed as due to soil salinity, but was actually a pest attack brought on by an overdose of organic insecticide and nitrogen-rich manure

Is unsafe behavior linked to social order?

Farmers in predominantly upper caste hamlets are more aware of safety precautions, in using pesticides for instance, than in other hamlets (Photo by Ferdousi Begum)

Awareness about safety measures appears to be divided along caste lines in rural Rajasthan. Educating children and frequent awareness programs would ensure villagers’ safety in everyday life

Success eggs on Sindhudurg farmers

With poultry waste providing cooking fuel and natural fertilizer, Wados village has a sustainable poultry farming practice (Photo by Hiren Kumar Bose)

Demand for eggs and good market linkage have led to once-struggling farmers take up layer poultry, boosting income and earning Wados village a place in India’s egg production map

Kodagu coffee growers struggle after deluge

Landslides that resulted after the August 2018 deluge have left steep inclines near coffee grower Shanteyenda’s house, making restoration difficult (Photo by Amoolya Rajappa)

Coffee planters in Kodagu are still suffering from the effects of incessant rainfall and landslides of August 2018 that resulted in loss of topsoil, crops and yield. Growers are now seeking better reservoir management

How to revitalize agriculture in India

Modernizing agriculture is the need of the hour (Photo by Nandu Kumar)

The government needs to aggressively promote micro-irrigation and small-scale farm mechanization to improve agricultural productivity. It should also connect farmers with markets using latest technological tools

Andaman farmers reshape land for better farming

Broad bed and furrow system of land shaping has helped farmers like Sudhir Datta overcome the effects of extreme weather events and increase farm income (Photo by Sharada Balasubramanian)

Land shaping has helped farmers in the Andaman Islands increase farm incomes despite limited availability of land, increasing soil salinity and inundations caused by cyclones and tides

Make lives better for rural people

The new government can improve the lives of the rural populace with a few initiatives (Photo by Maureen Barlin)

The new government should act swiftly to take a few measures that would improve the quality of life in rural India significantly without being a big drain on the exchequer

Biodiversity takes center stage in Odisha’s silent valley

Understanding the need for conservation of biodiversity, villagers of Mandasaru have strengthened forest protection measures (Photo by Basudev Mahapatra)

Forest communities of Mandasaru hills are taking steps to conserve biodiversity in Odisha’s silent valley, even as the world celebrates International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May

Flowers bring women sweet scent of success

Women farmers who grow flowers harvest them for three months, increasing their household income (Photo by Manish Kumar Shukla)

Struggling to make a living from subsistence farming, women farmers in southern Rajasthan have succeeded in breaking the cycle of poverty and doubling household incomes by cultivating marigold and roses

Physically challenged script success with seed pens

Seed pens, while helping reduce plastic waste, provide the physically challenged with a home-based livelihood (Photo by K. Rajendran)

Biodegradable pens filled with seeds provide a viable livelihood to Kerala’s physically challenged people. While offering an ecofriendly alternative to plastic pens, these seed pens sprout plants after use

Women’s collectives need to think beyond livelihoods

Women farmers of Gandichuan, who are members of a self-help group, enjoy food and nutritional security, enabled by interventions through their collective (Photo by Shashank Deora)

Agricultural interventions by women have ensured nutritional security in many parts of rural Odisha. Building further capacity will now help them see themselves as change agents who can tackle societal issues