Agriculture
A low-power cold storage solution to help farmers
This Purdue and IIT Kharagpur alumnus has won the Union government’s Prajjwala Challenge for a unique cold storage model he has created to help Indian farmers. He talks to Village Square about the innovation.
How this youth champions organic farming
Satyam Kumar from an agricultural family, immerses himself in organic farming and related activities after graduating in chemistry, and works towards changing unfavourable perceptions about farming.
What this interim budget holds for rural India
While the Rural Development Ministry got increased allocation, with MGNREGS getting a boost, not all schemes saw hikes in the interim budget 2024-25 presented by the Union government on Feb 1.
Why urban youth should care about rural India
India’s youth have the potential to bridge the urban–rural divide and bring about social, economic and digital inclusion, and also ensure sustainable development.
Farmers turn to organic farming thanks to this ‘agri-friend’
Observing the rampant use of farm chemicals and resultant asthma among villagers, Geeta Rani Satpathy becomes a krishi mitra, and with an indirect approach convinces farmers to give up chemicals and practise organic cultivation.
Delivering smart solutions for sustainable food security
In this visual journey, we encapsulate the determination and hard work of farmers from around the country. From traditional farming to technological advancement, farming has evolved differently under different climatic conditions. This kisan diwas we celebrate farmers across India who toil day and night to put food on our tables.
Kashmir stares at a saffron sunset
Pampore, the hub of Kashmiri saffron, casts a gloomy picture as production of the prized spice declines due to climate change, encroachment of fields, inadequate irrigation and intrusion of cheaper Iranian variants
Cultivating liquid gold in Uttarakhand’s tea odyssey
A brew of tradition and ambition unfolds in the lush terrains of Nainital as sustained efforts to grow tea by 10 villages and the Uttarakhand tea board are reaching fruition.
Rajanigandha perfumes Odisha’s cyclone-wrecked Ralaba
Ralaba’s rajanigandha fields are a source of livelihood and a testament to a community’s ability to reinvent itself after a natural calamity.
Add this tourism village in Kerala to your itinerary
The recent recognition of Kanthalloor in Kerala’s Idukki district as one of India’s top five tourism villages exemplifies its commitment to ecological sustainability, agricultural prosperity, and responsible tourism.
Can you identify a millet plant?
Many people choose a career in development to improve the world, but often the insights gained make it a rewarding journey of personal growth – from being able to identify unusual crops to appreciating rural life more deeply.
Kashmir’s walnut harvesters are in danger
Amidst the lack of proper protective gear and ignorance of safety techniques, the walnut growers in Kashmir urge for safer means of harvesting to avoid life-threatening accidents.
Nutmeg spices up income of Tamil Nadu coconut farmers
A newly formed farmer producer organisation has freed a group of nutmeg farmers in Tamil Nadu from the clutches of middlemen and exploitative buyers, boosting their income and ushering positivity.
Ladakh’s age-old chuspon water-use system gives hope
As the surge of tourism threatens to tip the fragile balance in Ladakh, hope exists in villages like Sakti on the outskirts of Leh, where traditional systems continue to govern land and water use.
A day at a village square
As Village Square turns 7 today, we feature a village square from Punjab where elders gather during the day as they return from fields – to take a nap, play cards or just catch up on everyday life.
What a ‘grape’ village!
Over 600 years ago, Sufi saint Sheikh Noor-Ud-Din Wali praised Repora in Kashmir's Ganderbal district as 'Dachi Repora, Nazar chay cxopoor,' which means, "Repora grapes, your gaze extends everywhere." Today, Repora's vineyards are renowned for top-quality organic grapes, rivalling Italy.
For the love of farming
Nestled among the lush apple orchards of Gagran village in Shopian district in Kashmir, Ali Mohammad Mir’s two-story mud house is a site for a thriving vermicomposting unit. The seventy year old farmer defies conventional farming practices and embraces eco-friendly entrepreneurship.
Sikkim’s organic farming revolution offers a success model
With its lush landscapes and bountiful harvests, Sikkim stands as a testament to the potential of organic farming, inspiring a greener, healthier future for agriculture across the nation.
Vermicompost: How earthworms helped this Kashmiri farmer succeed
This 70-year-old farmer in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir runs a successful vermicompost organic fertiliser unit from a mud house in his village.
Panchkroshi – Maharashtra farmers harness the power of five
Maharashtra farmers are reviving the traditional concept of Panchkroshi, wherein five neighbouring villages come together, to boost sustainability in their drought-hit region.