Featured Story

her life

Weavers breathe fresh life into Bengal’s madur mats

Madur, the traditional woven reed mats of Bengal that saw a decline in use in recent times, have been revived by artisanal weavers with support from social enterprises and the state government

her life

Uttar Pradesh youth help elderly access benefits

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

her life

Pepper helps Rabhas to live with tuskers

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

her life

Kuthampully weavers facing decline in Kerala

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

her life

Fodder camps save cattle during Maharashtra drought

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

her life

Local communities restore Ansupa Lake in Odisha

In a remarkable turnaround, local communities have rejuvenated the weed-infested Ansupa Lake in Odisha in the span of just six months, boosting fishing and income opportunities from tourism

her life

Girls in rural Rajasthan show zeal for science

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

her life

Revival of Lambadi embroidery stems migration

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

her life

Land shaping benefits Sundarban farmers

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

her life

How an organic experiment went wrong

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

her life

Success eggs on Sindhudurg farmers

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

her life

Kodagu coffee growers struggle after deluge

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

her life

Andaman farmers reshape land for better farming

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

her life

Biodiversity takes center stage in Odisha’s silent valley

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

her life

Flowers bring women sweet scent of success

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

her life

Physically challenged script success with seed pens

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

her life

Nursing the underserved to health in rural Rajasthan

As the world commemorates International Day of Nurses on 12 May, young women in Rajasthan have broken stereotypes, becoming nurses after marriage and motherhood, and transforming rural healthcare

her life

Migrant children get a shot at continuing education

A scheme by the Odisha government has enabled children of migrant workers to continue their education at destination sites, preventing child labor and ensuring continuity in education

her life

When will rural men own up responsibility?

Rather than holding the state solely accountable for bettering lives of the rural poor, we need to also focus on making men, and not just women, take responsible action for the sake of their families

her life

Sheepherders conserve quality Kashmir Merino stock

Good management practices have helped sheep farmers to ensure a quality lineage of Kashmir Merino, a hybrid of the government’s crossbreeding program. It has boosted local production of wool and meat