Livelihoods
Workers of closed tea gardens struggle to make a living
Tribal people in and around the shuttered tea gardens of north Bengal are living on the edge of destitution and are being forced to a life of hard labor and exploitation by local contractors to stave off starvation
Madhubani painters want better deal for their work
Despite global recognition, women painters of the Madhubani folk art form in Jitwarpur village have failed to escape the clutches of middlemen, who corner most of the profits. State initiatives could help stop the exploitation
Why do villagers often ignore obvious yet valuable things?
We need to figure out ways in which people in rural India are able to make reasoned and sustainable choices to lead their lives rather than flow with trends that are more expensive or patently unsuitable
Many farmers across India are returning to their roots
Traditional wisdom combined with modern methods of agro-ecology such as zero budget natural farming is helping Indian farmers in diverse parts of the country to adapt to changing weather patterns
Litchi growers of Muzaffarpur suffer from falling production
Fluctuating weather patterns have started impacting the famous litchi orchards of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, resulting in poor harvests and decreased sweetness of the fruit that is impacting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers
Assam farmers struggle over loss of orange orchards
New diseases and erratic weather have led to a dramatic drop in orange production, endangering the livelihoods of farmers in northeast India, where it is a major cash crop
Organic farming gathers steam in the Sundarbans
Faced with longer and hotter summers, many farmers in the Sundarbans have embraced organic farming with local crop varieties that are better adapted to a changing climate and fetch adequate returns as well
Mountain women live and work with bent backs
The absence of most men and the nature of work in the farm and forest have left women in Mandal village of Uttarakhand with no option to spend most of their time with bent over double, which severely damages their health
Bahurupi folk theater finds few takers in West Bengal
The Bahurupis of West Bengal, who donned greasepaint and entertained the rural masses through folk and street theater by masquerading as mythological characters, have dwindled in numbers due to lack of patronage
Odisha’s seasonal hostels help curb child migration and child labor
Poor villagers in Odisha’s migration-prone districts, who toil at brick kilns in the southern states for most part of the year, have found some succor in seasonal hostels that educate and nourish their children in a safe haven
Does targeted finance help farm widows break free of chronic debt?
While targeted assistance has brought financial inclusion to farm widows in parts of Telangana, only concrete interventions can eradicate chronic indebtedness and ensure sustainable livelihoods
Brass smiths of Parev brave hardships to keep traditional craft alive
Despite lack of essential infrastructure, no government support and highly erratic power supply, artisanal brass utensil makers in Bihar have overcome huge odds and flourished, providing livelihoods to many rural households
Enterprising Odisha women take to selling fish to improve lives
Women in Odisha’s coastal fishing villages have turned to selling fish and value-added fishery products after eliminating middlemen and abolishing the home brewing of country liquor, the root cause of their problems
Kantha embroidery empowers women in rural Bengal
A single woman’s journey to earn a dignified livelihood has today evolved into a revival of the traditional Kantha embroidery that has led to empowerment of rural women in West Bengal
Drumstick cultivation boosts farm incomes in drought-prone Solapur
Perfectly adapted to dry land farming, the nutrient-rich moringa has become the crop of choice among many farmers in drought-prone Solapur, earning them a steady income throughout the year
Watermelons stem distress migration in Odisha’s hunger belt
Forced to migrate due to poverty and recurrent droughts, and with no better life in faraway brick kilns, farmers in western Odisha have turned to watermelon cultivation, reaping rich benefits
Manipuri women revive village republics for all-round development
Despite dwindling forest resources that had traditionally sustained them, villagers in Churachandpur district of Manipur have successfully shifted to growing new crops, and are now exploring new livelihood options
Farmers reclaim fallow land to cultivate rice in Kerala
In a landscape dominated by cash crops, many farmers in Kerala have started growing paddy on land lying fallow for decades after being encouraged by the state government to cultivate on barren fields
An ancient art is earning modern dividends in Khasi Hills
From being one of the poorest areas of Meghalaya, Umden in Ri Bhoi has emerged as the epicenter of ethical sericulture and Eri silk weaving, thanks to the persistence of women practicing the traditional art
Goats and poultry help tribal women turnaround impoverished lives
Poverty-stricken women in the semi-arid regions of West Bengal and Jharkhand, used to subsisting on meager incomes, have defied huge odds and transformed their lives by rearing goats and poultry