Livelihoods
Strawberry cultivation brings sweet success to farmers
Marketing their vegetables posing a challenge, Bhagalpur farmers made little money despite favorable agro-climatic conditions. Switching to strawberry cultivation and direct marketing have turned their fortunes
Landless tribes fulfill nutritient needs by growing vegetables in bags
Lack of land and water left tribes without vegetables in their diet, as buying vegetables was beyond their means. Growing vegetables in bags fulfills the need at no cost
Farmers cash in on demand for immunity boosters
With no signs of the coronavirus infection abating, moringa farmers in Tamil Nadu use the increasing demand for natural immunity boosters to their advantage, by value addition
Losing livelihood, landless families bear the lockdown brunt
Entrepreneurial villagers from landless tribal communities opted for alternate livelihoods. Despite easing of lockdown restrictions, the current challenges are pushing them back to poverty
How online education fares in rural Odisha
Inadequate digital infrastructure forces rural children to lose touch with their lessons and take up work. Classroom learning is their only hope of getting educated
Returned migrants: A pause or the end of a dream?
Lockdown has forced migrant workers to return home. Left with no cash savings and duped of overdue wages, their future seems uncertain more than ever
Returned migrants prefer local livelihoods in native region
Villagers who migrated to other states for want of local livelihoods are back and do not wish to migrate again. They seek creation of local earning avenues
Supply to institutions helps FPOs sell mangoes during lockdown
The lockdown disrupted the supply of an FPO’s carbide-free mangoes to its market in Ahmedabad. Collective action by Anand’s institutional staff enabled delivery of mangoes directly to consumers
With urban patronage, khun weavers hope for better market
Weaving cloths of increased widths that would lend khun fabric to be made into clothes other than saree blouses, khun weavers move beyond rural patronage and into fashion world
Nomadic Molesalams peddle traditional medicine despite challenges
Despite a meager income, inability to avail government benefits and their children missing education, the traditional medicine men continue their trade among loyal rural clientele
Women unite to address problems and transform their village
Under an umbrella village organization, members of women self-help groups address common problems in their village, including a stand-off against a mining company
Amphan deals a severe blow to struggling Sundarbans villagers
With standing crops lost and soil turning saline when seawater came in, the cyclone has aggravated villagers’ malnutrition and food security problems, adding to their lockdown woes
How Nivaje transformed into a model village
With SRI method to boost paddy yield, establishing cooperative dairy to improve livelihood, and installing biogas plants for energy needs, Nivaje has become a sustainable community
Returned migrants: Despair and coping
Distance to host city, commitment of employer and livelihood opportunity at native village help returned workers decide on post-lockdown migration. Till then they cope with available resources
Women contribute grains to support vulnerable families during lockdown
With no labor work during lockdown, many women in remote villages lacked essentials to feed their family. Fellow women helped them by building a food bank with contributions
Resourceful producer companies address farmers’ lockdown challenges
As members struggled to buy farm inputs and sell produce, their FPCs, with special permission, arranged for inputs and sold their produce directly to consumers
India Post delivers litchis in Bihar during lockdown
Postal department and horticulture directorate join hands to deliver litchi directly at consumers’ doorstep, helping farmers sell the fruits and get better price during lockdown
Making sal leaf plates lifts women out of poverty
With increased awareness about ecofriendly products, women in West Bengal make plates and bowls made of sal leaves, earning an increased and sustained income
MGNREGS curbs distress migration, provides employment during lockdown
With agriculture turning unsustainable, villagers migrated to nearby towns for work. Community planning leading to sanctioned MGNREGS works has ensured local livelihood and has stemmed migration
Women bring economic and environmental changes with leaf plates
By making biodegradable tableware from areca leaves that used to be burnt, rural women in Assam help minimize air and plastic pollution, while increasing their household income