Field Journal
Perils of not having a birth certificate
One in 10 children under the age of five do not have a birth certificate in India. This makes them invisible to the system, unable to avail of state benefits. But one district in Madhya Pradesh is trying to buck this trend, as development fellows Sohinee Thakurta and Smriti Gupta have discovered.
Teaching beyond the textbooks in Rajasthan
An education support programme offers students in government schools a holistic approach, helping them imbibe lessons through practical and hands-on learning, and boosting their confidence through peer learning.
Of windmills and women
Wind farms are generally a beneficial source of renewable energy. But what happens when they cut through ancient tribal land, stoking fears of lost livelihoods and identities? India Fellow Aneesh Mohan finds out.
Weed wars – invasive plants battle it out
Aggressive and highly invasive plant species are destroying India’s forest lands and biodiversity. Sridhar Ananth and Sanjiv Phansalkar write about the scale of this issue and deliberate possible solutions.
The elephant and the honey bee: Are there lessons for Meghalaya and Tripura?
An ecosystem consisting of honey bees, elephants and rubber plantation is enabling additional income for tribal homes. Here K Sivamuthuprakash and Sanjiv Phansalkar describe the fascinating project which facilitates this ecosystem.
Whose idea of development is it anyway?
For two development professionals a field visit to a displaced village triggered a series of broader questions about development. They share their dilemmas about how development is perceived and practiced.
From the bladder of a cow
Natural farming based on the clever use of cow waste is transforming lives in Andhra Pradesh as Sanjiv Phansalkar of the VikasAnvesh Foundation discovered close up.
Rural theatre acts out vaccine hesitancy
Setting the stage to bust myths around vaccine hesitancy, tribal dance and theatre productions manage to convert the unvaccinated in Rajasthan, proving the power of tailor-made messaging.
Is digital planning working for India’s villages?
India’s villages are the last stop in the government’s drive to digitize administrative planning and ensure a more transparent allocation of resources. But how effective is this digital push? Development worker Jitendra Pandit tackles this in his Field Report.
The power of exposure trips
Four years ago, program officer Ankita Goyal accompanied a group of tribal women on their first trip out of their village. Little did she know this “exposure visit” would turn out to be a life-changing experience for her.
The lack of sustainable farming prospects in India
While the government is taking small steps towards sustainable agriculture, there are challenges ranging from India’s agricultural workforce to its political economy that need to be acknowledged and addressed.
Assam’s rural theatre: Curtains up or down?
Despite competition from Netflix and YouTube, small theatre troupes in Assam enjoy a loyal patronage. Yet, with acting as their main livelihood, the artists face uncertainty during the pandemic.
Assam’s rural theatre: Curtains up or down?
Despite competition from Netflix and YouTube, small theatre troupes in Assam enjoy a loyal patronage. Yet, with acting as their main livelihood, the artists face uncertainty during the pandemic.
Throw mustard in the elephant’s face
With grains available through the public distribution system, farmers near Manas National Park find no need to grow paddy, and have switched to mustard cultivation to avoid crop raids by elephants.
Earning a lakh from half an acre
Blood, sweat and a little land: how the frail but hardy Pushpa Chhetri earns over a lakh from her half-acre plot of land in Assam.
Sustaining a social enterprise during lockdown
A company that makes eco-friendly tableware by roping in marginalised tribal women, uses different funding approaches to sustain their livelihood through the lockdown.
Leveraging climate action to help rural poor
If climate change mitigation uses decentralised, community-centric programs, it could transform the lives of India’s most marginalised rural poor.
Of livelihoods in barren terrains
In remote and barren terrains people should be helped in turning adverse conditions to their advantage, rather than pursuing unviable dreams.
The inception of Village Square
Village Square wants to bridge the gap between urban and rural India, taking inspiration from India’s founders, says Anish Kumar, Transform Rural India Foundation co-lead and a member of the Village Square inception team.
Mahatma’s dream in a digital world
Can Gandhi’s idea of self-reliant villages work today? Using technology, villagers can discover markets for natural homemade products they can produce.