Livelihoods

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Konkan farms reap the bounty of bamboo

The newfound interest in the cultivation of bamboo, known as the wise man’s timber, is helping transform the rural economy in the Konkan region of Maharashtra by boosting farm incomes

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Mising weavers intertwine technology with traditional skills

Living in flood-prone areas of Assam with no alternate sustenance options, women of Mising tribal community have upgraded their traditional handloom weaving skills, and have adapted to market needs for a lucrative livelihood

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Forest food ensures nutritional security of Odisha’s tribes

Access to naturally grown forest produce would go a long way in protecting tribal communities in Odisha from the worst impacts of climate change and supply them with all that they need for sustenance

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Assam youth are netting healthy incomes from fish seeds

Taking advantage of the plentiful water bodies in Assam, the production and supply of fertilized fish eggs has emerged as a promising and sustainable livelihood for unemployed youth in rural Assam

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Better nurture needed for new producers’ organizations

Development professionals managing newly formed farmer producers’ organizations, while high on technical and social skills, have to be more market and management savvy to strengthen these nascent entities

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Rural women start bank for economic transformation

Started by women in Chhattisgarh villages from their personal savings, the Sakhi Mahila Bank has not only boosted rural women’s income but also their confidence and economic independence

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Anita Devi of Anantpur works magic with mushrooms

From an impoverished village woman to mushroom farmer and successful entrepreneur, Anita Devi has inspired hundreds of women in Nalanda to adopt the profitable venture of mushroom cultivation

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Widowed by silicosis, women of Odisha village await justice

Young men, who joined a pyrophillite grinding factory dreaming of a better future, succumbed to silicosis, leaving families struggling for survival and justice

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Farmers are making Kashmir a land of honey

Farmers growing fruits and vegetables in Kashmir are doubling as beekeepers to boost their incomes, taking advantage of vast tracts of horticultural land with their abundance of flowers

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Youth trade guns for bananas in Assam

Assamese rural youth who once worked with insurgent outfits are giving up their gun-fueled violent ways and taking to banana cultivation for a peaceful and dignified livelihood

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Antenatal care of producer enterprises missing in India

If producer companies that aim to benefit poor farmers are to succeed in India, critical factors such as a sense of ownership, correct assessment of economic environment and social capital need to be better thought out

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Rearing fish in farm ponds boosts rural incomes

Farm ponds, built to harvest rainwater and irrigate rain-fed fields, are doubling up as fishponds, helping farmers overcome vagaries of agriculture with an additional source of income

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Toy makers adapt to markets, add color to fading industry

Moving beyond toys, artisans in a Karnataka village make curios, and use new toy making and marketing methods to overcome challenges posed by cheap Chinese imports and restore the glory of Channapatna’s non-toxic wooden toys

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How distressed rural migrants shelter in cities

Flood and drought often drive the rural poor to cities. Those who are landless often stay on. Risking lives under the open sky, they hope a city’s many work opportunities will help them survive somehow

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Broadening domains for micro-enterprises in rural India

The promotion of micro-enterprises in villages to meet the large demand for livelihoods would benefit from out-of-the-box ideas that move beyond hackneyed activities like making papads and pickles

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Revival of traditional sattu helps village women make a living

Women in rural Nalanda are popularizing the use of a traditional grinding stone to pound flour out of roasted gram, providing a healthier alternative to machine-ground sattu and earning a livelihood for themselves

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Farm entrepreneurs build path to prosperity in rural Jharkhand

Many farmers in Jharkhand have started taking progressive steps as rural entrepreneurs, offering a host of services to help local smallholders move beyond subsistence agriculture and towards increased incomes

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Rural women’s collectives are all about empowerment

Self-help groups in villages bring financial and social empowerment to women, changing entrenched perceptions on their competence in managing their affairs

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Technology-enabled sale streamlines fertilizer supply chain

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Linking technology and Aadhaar unique identity numbers, the direct benefit transfer of fertilizer subsidy in Andhra Pradesh has helped in curbing malpractices and has benefited farmers by preventing leakages

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Flayers and leather workers are victims of thick-skinned polity

Leather workers and people who deal with cattle carcasses remain an oppressed minority in villages across India, languishing at the bottom rung of rural society and ignored by governments at all levels