Rural India is home of the original gig-economy worker. Enterprising villagers hop from tilling fields to tending shops, to door-to-door selling each day. Read the latest trends in micro-enterprises, rural start-ups and the shifting livelihoods of India’s villagers.
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