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
The road to participatory democracy cannot be paved with good intentions alone but needs resources, sustained work and self-critical reflection by villages and voluntary organizations alike
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
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
The patchy soil and water conservation efforts of the Maharashtra government seem to have learnt nothing from the exemplary measures undertaken in Solapur district
Kuthambakkam village in Tamil Nadu has overcome caste hostility and poverty to emerge as a national model of participatory governance that has boosted the village economy
Opportunities to a better life have not kept pace with the rising aspirations of the rural youth that are a natural corollary of high economic growth, which raise spectres of frustration and social friction in our society
Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas on gram swaraj and his thoughts on economic democracy through creative localisation could well be the new launch pad to create a more vibrant model of sustainable development of rural society and economy
