Livelihoods

her life

Kerala fights drought with recharged wells

For a region that does not want for water, Kerala is extending a rainwater harvesting programme in the central district of Thrissur to all parts of the state following the recent droughts

her life

Palghar’s tribal farmers sow and sell as a collective to reap benefits

Collective farming is not only helping farmers sell their produce far and wide but has also arrested migration and increased the well-being of farmer families

her life

Banni pastoralists see success in battle for survival

The Maldharis of the vast Banni grasslands in Gujarat show how people cope with enforced change caused either by natural forces or human intervention and how vulnerability can be turned into opportunity

her life

Convenience drives farm practices more than sustainability

For all talk of sustainable farming practices than often entail increased drudgery, there is a clear trend that farmers are swayed by convenience and ease of use more than anything else

her life

Faulty farm ponds pockmark tribal villages in Palghar

Constructed under the Maharashtra government’s Jalyukt Shivar scheme to end water scarcity in the state, these structures hold no water. Some were washed away in the first rains, making a mockery of the implementation

her life

Integrated organic farming revives Nemmeli’s fields

A holistic method of organic farming has reversed the harm reached to Nemmeli village due to high-intensity, high-inputs agriculture. It has also helped in pushing back soil salinity

her life

Small vegetable and poultry farmers severely affected by demonetization drive

Three weeks into the surprise announcement by the government to withdraw high denomination currency notes from circulation, it is now clear that producers of perishable commodities such as vegetable and poultry have been seriously impacted

her life

Trade tumbles at Sonepur cattle fair after demonetization

The severe scarcity of currency notes have resulted in business at India’s largest cattle fair, which is conducted entirely in cash, crashing to a halt with most sellers returning home empty handed

her life

Currency tsunami hits Kerala fisher village

The poor women of Anju Thengue island village in Kerala have been caught unprepared by the ban on banknotes that has seen prices crash and a near total collapse of the fish market

her life

Small vegetable farmers in Maharashtra suffer blow from demonetization

The people in rural Pune are past the initial shocks of demonetization and are now coming to grips with it, but there are signs of distress among growers and sellers of fruits and vegetables

her life

Rural Tamil Nadu shows resilience as currency crisis disrupts life

For villagers in Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur, particularly the poor, the trashing of high-value banknotes is another hardship among many that they have to face

her life

Farmers, daily wage laborers in Odisha badly hurt by demonetization

Farmers and those in rural areas who make a living as daily wage laborers in Odisha have been left stranded by the demonetization drive by the Indian government that has led to a huge scarcity of lower denomination notes

her life

Demonetization and the rural poor in five dimensions

The junking of high value currency notes has led to an unprecedented situation where the poor are more at risk from manipulation by the unscrupulous than from any crippling financial loss in the short or medium terms, barring exceptions

her life

Tamil Nadu fishermen leverage smartphone technology to boost fish yields

For fishing communities in coastal Tamil Nadu, the uncertainties of finding richer fishing areas in sea has been significantly reduced through a phone app called Fisher Friendly Mobile Application that also provides safety alerts

her life

Cardamom hills of Kerala face daunting drought

After the failure of both the South West and North East monsoons, cardamom farmers of Idukki in Kerala are staring at massive losses

her life

Women in Guphu show power of collective action

and

Collective action has enabled many women in Khunti in Jharkhand to rise out of poverty, providing them with new opportunities and ensuring greater choice in their lives

her life

Community initiative recharges water table in Kumbharwalan village

Collective action through a pani panchayat (water council) has enabled a remote village in Pune district of Maharashtra to provide for adequate irrigation in this rain shadow area prone to droughts

her life

Another autumn of uncertainty for Kashmir’s saffron farmers

A most prized harvest, the falling production of saffron in the villages of Pulwama is now a serious concern for the many farmers who have been traditionally cultivating the rare flower

her life

Can this crisis in the heart of India be allowed to continue?

The economic exploitation and developmental neglect of the core tribal areas of India’s eastern plateau and hills across Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have to be tackled through practical solutions unhindered by ideological blinkers

her life

Camel herders of Kachchh fall into decline as commons shrink

The unt maladharis (camel pastoralists) of Kutchch have seen their herds dwindle as pastures are appropriated and the unique swimming camel struggles to find mangroves to graze upon