Livelihoods
‘We lack robust mechanisms to tackle child labour’
Our rescue and rehabilitation policy to address child labour needs to include the kid's education and also the family’s needs, says Shrishti Shankar, who works with Bachpan Bachao Andolan in Jharkhand.
Bengal’s Sabar tribe struggles for survival
One of the poorest communities of India, 20 families of Sabar tribe toil to gather two square meals a day, subsisting on sal fruit, red ant eggs and a meagre government handout of rice.
Old well lone lifeblood for water-parched Bengal village
Residents of a remote village in rural Bengal accuse administrative apathy for their woes, asking why they were left out when all neighbouring villages have piped water supply.
‘Waste dumping in open has increased human-wildlife conflict’
Surge in tourism in the Himalayas has led to enormous plastic waste generation, adversely affecting the region’s environment and wildlife. Vishal Kumar, CEO, Waste Warriors, discusses how this problem can be addressed.
Assam villagers dread wrath of ravaging river
Ahead of the monsoon, fear of displacement lurks amid villagers in Assam’s North Lakhimpur district as the Subansiri river threatens to devour their land and homes yet again.
What’s curdling the milk in Uttarakhand?
Most people are finding it hard to keep even one cow as milk yields are getting lower, finding natural fodder is becoming extremely difficult, and feed prices are soaring beyond their reach.
Bay leaf brings aroma to lives in Bengal
The bay leaf that adds flavour to many a dish is an attractive source of livelihood for thousands of villagers in northern Bengal.
Machine eases work, empowers Andhra women labourers
In Srikakulam, zero tillage in maize crop sowing through the double wheel marker reduces workload for women.
Shingve – the carrot village of Maharashtra
Tired of waiting for years to be paid by sugar mills, farmers of Shingve village switched from water-intensive sugarcane to drip-irrigated carrot, earning Shingve the name ‘carrot village’.
What do Kadaknath chicken & betel nut have in common?
Several hundreds of women are earning lucrative livelihoods in border areas of Bengal adjoining Nepal border with kadaknath chicken and betel nuts farming.
Kashmir’s farmers switch from growing apples to exotic greens
Fruit cultivation is a mainstay of Kashmir’s economy, but many farmers are clearing orchards and shifting to integrated farming to grow exotic vegetables.
Youngsters ditch restaurants, boost roadside stalls in Matheran
Young tourists on shoestring budgets skip restaurants and eat at roadside stalls or buy fresh fruits and berries sold by people living in the valley below Matheran.
Turning fallow land fertile, Chhattisgarh women reap rich harvest
Women of Biladi grow fruits and vegetables on land they had collectively leased from panchayat to earn a decent living in a region that was historically arid.
Dying Siali craft keeps Mankidia tribe on the edge
The tribe was displaced from the Similipal forest when it became a national park, which reduced access to the Siali creeper they weave into ropes and baskets.
Solan mushroom farmers make it big with fungi
A mushroom revolution took place in Himachal Pradesh about 30 years ago as farmers looked for high returns from a limited space. The result is mind-blowing.
Why migrant labourers keep flocking to Kashmir
Undeterred by threats to their security, hundreds of migrant labourers from different states flock to Kashmir every spring to earn their livelihood.
New print on the block
You know about Rajasthan’s Sanganeri and Bagru block prints, admire their imperfections and perhaps have a wardrobe full of them. But have you seen Jhag – the newest print in the collections of some of the reputed Indian handloom brands?
Mizoram farmers caught in ‘rat trap’
Ahead of a new bamboo flowering cycle, rats are attacking fields in Mizoram, destroying crops in several acres as farmers and officials struggle to contain the problem.
‘Dignity is closely linked to economic condition’
About 95 percent of the workforce in India is engaged in the informal sector, and we cannot leave them outside of our imagination, says Subhash Bhatnagar of Nirmana, an organisation that seeks to empower unorganised sector workers.
Migrants live their Mumbai dream at Sassoon Docks
Thousands from across India's rural landscape arrive and work at Mumbai’s oldest wet dock, which is one of the nation’s biggest exporters of sea fish.