Livelihoods
The importance of succlure and faiccess in rural development
It is not always easy to measure the success in any rural development intervention because it often depends on the differing frames of reference of the village community and that of the grassroots worker
Dharmapuri has forgotten the many names for rain
Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall in the drought-prone dry land farms of Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu is making rain-fed agriculture non-viable but some women farmers are adapting by growing millets
Saran women banish poverty by cultivating vegetables
Switching from traditional rain-fed crops such as rice and wheat to growing vegetables through the year, women farmers of Saran district in Bihar have ensured financial and food security without any external assistance
Women feel the heat of climate change in rural Manipur
Women farmers in Manipur, who play a significant role in the state's agriculture, are struggling to grow crops in an increasingly hostile environment of north-east India
Future looks up for palmyra tree climbers of Tamil Nadu
Increasing awareness on the goodness of palm products and sustainable living associated with it has brought hope to Tamil Nadu’s palm climbers, despite dwindling numbers of the state tree
Strengthening grassroots in Gaya for self-sustenance
By popularizing the system of root intensification and introducing sustainable agricultural practices, Anil Verma has brought a positive change in the lives of marginalized farmers in Gaya
Declining catch forces Chilika fishers to become migrant laborers
A significant fall in fish stock due to environmental and human made reasons, combined with stringent laws aimed at restoration of the Chilika Lake, has forced local fishermen to migrate seasonally in search of work
Boatwrights of Balagarh hope that the tide will turn
A move to replace 15,000 mechanized boats in West Bengal’s waterways and a floating market in Kolkata have brought hope to the wooden boat makers of Hooghly, who have been languishing for want of steady demand
Toymakers of Chitrakoot struggle with declining demand
Cultural changes and urbanization have led to a shrinking market for Chitrakoot’s wooden toys and a decline in the number of traditional toymakers, yet a few carry on, hoping for the best about the craft’s future
Kamrup women lead Eri silk revival for improved livelihoods
Linking markets with traditional Eri silk weavers in many parts of Assam, non-profit organization Grameen Sahara has enabled thousands of village women to boost their household incomes
Why farmers in this Kerala village pray for peace with Pakistan
Having seen fluctuations in the export of betel leaf to Pakistan over the years, Malappuram betel farmers in northern Kerala remain hopeful of overcoming the present impasse and resuming a profitable trade
How to develop divisible technology for the rural poor
There is a need to develop easily divisible technologies that do not need heavy investment, after taking into consideration social customs and cultural practices of rural users
Custard apple ushers in affluence to Maharashtra farmers
Farmers in Pimpari Dumala in Maharashtra have prospered so much by growing custard apples that they have spurned land acquisition offers to expand industrial estates
Digital push boosts incomes for Sundarbans’ organic farmers
A digital platform has helped women farmers living in the northern fringes of Sundarbans in West Bengal to sell organically grown indigenous rice and other produce directly to customers, helping them to book higher profits
Social entrepreneur sets Naga tribes on path of progress
In an underdeveloped part of Jalukie Valley in Nagaland, the church-based Rongmei Baptist Association has gone beyond call of faith to help tribal communities uplift themselves through development interventions
Bihar farmers taste success with sweet strawberries
Farmers in an Aurangabad village prone to drought and Maoist insurgency have defied scientific opinion, and cultivated strawberries successfully, boosting the local economy
Kashmir’s vegetable farmers reap rich dividends
Bringing more land under vegetable cultivation and using technology, farmers in Kashmir have made fresh produce available for the state in winter and for other states in summer
There’s more to horticulture than tomatoes, onions and potatoes
While the priority given to tomato, onion and potato (TOP) farmers by the Prime Minister is a welcome move, special attention must be given to smallholder vegetable growers, since horticulture provides a nutrition and income buffer to the rural poor
Purulia’s nachaniyas still dance to escape destitution
Exploited by their so-called masters, the folk dancers of rural Bengal have no option but to keep dancing and entertaining to escape poverty and destitution, shunned by society and with no help from the government
Rainwater harvesting is the best way forward for irrigation
As intensive agriculture spreads across India, there is an urgent need to encourage rainwater harvesting to irrigate multiple crops instead of the current unsustainable practice of groundwater extraction