Villagers of Diezephe near Dimapur have revived their traditional crafts and weaves by adapting to market demands and by using modern tools, and have found themselves an ecofriendly livelihood
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Farm ponds improve lives of Singhbhum women
Constructed to ensure water security for cultivators, farm ponds have also helped rural women by reducing their daily treks to fetch water for domestic needs, and improving their personal health and hygiene
Rural youth: old prejudices or real disadvantages?
Despite long-held notions that young people in villages lack better life opportunities, the current situation of youth in urban areas and their proximate countryside is not too different in many parts of India
Upland farmers shift to coffee for better prospects
Suffering losses from traditional crops of ginger and cardamom, farmers in the mountainous areas of Kalimpong and Darjeeling in West Bengal have started growing organic coffee for better returns
Rural community at receiving end of temple town’s sewage
Commercial establishments catering to religious tourism in the temple town of Guruvayur have contaminated the ground and surface water of a village in Thrissur by releasing raw sewage into natural drains
Tripura’s fish farmers net benefits of captive fisheries
Fish farmers in the Sepahijala district of Tripura have formed collectives to successfully rear fish seeds and table fish. This collective livelihood initiative has increased their incomes by reducing risks and costs
Women farmers suffer due to unequal land rights
Although they are often the actual cultivators, the lack of land rights among women farmers in Odisha has resulted in chronic distress because they are unable to get government loans or compensation over crop loss
Assam village become trailblazers in adaptive agriculture
From seed banks to rainwater harvesting, one village on the banks of the Brahmaputra River has spread innovative agriculture through the region, as farmers battle against worsening floods and droughts
India’s traditional wisdom in coping with extreme weather
In large parts of the subcontinent where floods or droughts are annual or recurring events, people in rural areas have evolved location-specific strategies to deal with the disasters and unusual weather
Women show the way in waterless Ladakh
As snowfall reduces and glaciers retreat in Ladakh due to climate change, a group of women is promoting traditional ways of farming that are best suited to the cold desert
Bengal youth lead revival of heritage rice varieties
A bunch of young professionals have chosen to stay back in their villages in Uttar Dinajpur to revive the heritage of folk rice varieties that were once cultivated by their ancestors
Kerala moves swiftly to treat Attapady’s tribes
The lynching of a mentally ill tribal youth has spurred Kerala to create jobs for tribes living in the progressive state, besides surveying them to identify the mentally ill, treat them and rehabilitate them
Munda tribes of Jharkhand desire inclusive development
Once self-sufficient, the Munda farming community in Jharkhand has accepted changes in governance that promises social and economic development. But, inclusive development has eluded them
Karnataka farmers reap benefits of native cow’s milk
Rearing native cattle, farmers in rural Karnataka have brought about a welcome rural-urban link, benefiting economically and bringing health benefits to urban consumers
Of kamranga and kachnar: vanishing flavors and shrinking food basket
Innumerable varieties of native fruits and leafy vegetables found in different parts of India are becoming rare on dinner tables. We should make efforts to revive them for a more varied and nutritious food basket
West Bengal brings Dokra metal craft back from brink
Revived with the support of the state government and social enterprises, the traditional metal craft Dokra has found its place in art maps, giving artisans in the remote Bikna village much-needed financial stability
Science popularization helps tribal students spread wings
An academy in Pune district of Maharashtra has boosted the confidence of tribal students, and helped them dream beyond their textbooks and hamlets by giving them practical exposure to science
Land ownership for women needs more attention
The dismal status of women’s property rights in India continues to be a nagging socio-development challenge despite a slew of progressive laws, which need political commitment and institutionalized support
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