Livelihoods

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.

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Soilless agriculture takes root in Haryana

Farmers in Haryana, aided by a government subsidy, are slowly taking to hydroponics to grow exotic vegetables and leafy greens under controlled temperature in poly houses.

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Impact of climate change on Kashmir’s mushroom pickers

Unpredictable weather patterns, early springs, and above-average temperatures have left gucchi mushroom hunters in distress, facing another season of low yield for the second consecutive year.

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Glittering Punjabi juttis hide grim story of shoemakers

Colourful and vibrant Punjabi footwear is known worldwide, but its makers are struggling to make a decent living.

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‘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.

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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.

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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.

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‘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.

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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.

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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.