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Ingenious farmers breed new fruit varieties

Ever wished you could have mangoes year round, custard apples with fewer seeds or jumbo grapes? Now you can, thanks to some innovative, self-taught famers.

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Walnut market a hard nut to crack

Urban India loves walnuts. But growing the tasty “super food” is labor intensive and Kashmiri walnut farmers are losing out to cheap foreign imports.

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30 hours to literacy

Spending an hour every day on activities and custom-made lessons in a cheerful environment helps migrant workers of all ages come out of literacy poverty.

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Mushroom cultivation becomes lifeline

After years struggling on paltry incomes, growing mushrooms provides West Bengali women better livelihoods and nutrition – and gives urban India more varieties.

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Barge oil spill hurting beach, mangrove and livelihoods

Cyclone Tauktae bashed a barge into rocks, resulting in an oil spill that still hasn’t been cleared, hurting Mahim’s sandy beaches, unique mangrove ecology and livelihoods of fisher folk.

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Sustainable honey offers sweeter returns

Smoking out honeybees hurts the bees, biodiversity and the taste of honey. So it’s no wonder a more sustainable method is catching on and increasing earnings.

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Girls quit labor work to teach each other

Girls were forced to work in brick kilns and farms during lockdown. Educated youth have helped them quit so they can learn, and teach younger ones.

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Community’s conservation effort increases vulture population

With an awareness about the importance of vultures in the ecosystem, residents of Chirgaon took measures that have resulted in an increase in vulture population.

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Himachal government strives to boost seed production

Dependent on other states for seeds that are often unsuited for local conditions, Himachal Pradesh government has introduced a scheme to produce quality seeds locally

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Eco-conscious Bishnois ensure good groundwater levels

Known for their tree-hugging environmentalism, Bishnois combine traditional knowledge and contemporary practices of agriculture to conserve groundwater.

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Community ensures sustenance of vital ancient ponds

By ensuring regular maintenance and by preventing encroachment, villagers who consider their water bodies as sacred, protect centuries-old life-sustaining ponds.

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To prevent crop raids, villagers throw seed balls in forests

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.

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Traditional breeders conserve indigenous Dangi cattle

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Combining traditional knowledge and technical support from scientists, breeders in Maharashtra conserve indigenous Dangi cattle known for their hardy nature

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Haryana introduces crop diversification to prevent groundwater exploitation

Haryana’s groundwater extraction is much higher than the state’s annual extractable resources. Government encourages farmers to switch from water-intensive paddy to reduce depletion

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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

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Lockdown initiative links villagers to social welfare benefits

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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.

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Rains and elephants compound farmers’ lockdown challenges

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Incessant rains and wild elephants damaged water melons that cultivators could not sell during the lockdown. Organizations helped them reach buyers via social media

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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

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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