Author: Athar Parvaiz
Young twitcher becomes desert’s star birding guide
With a passion for birds, birding guide Musa Khan hopes his work will inspire other twitchers to become aware of rising bird deaths due to power transmission lines in the Thar desert.
Kashmir’s cricket bat industry goes for a toss
Kashmir’s political and pandemic lockdowns, never mind inadequate infrastructure, are dealing a severe blow to its 100-crore cricket bat industry, which experts say could otherwise be booming.
Kashmiris turn to eco-treks
The pandemic-induced reflectiveness means more Kashmiris are taking to the hills – becoming eco-conscious trekkers of the mountains they were once content to just look at.
Himachal apples give way to pomegranates
Changes in climatic conditions have led to Himachal farmers growing pomegranates, as many find that apple cultivation, other than high-density varieties, is no longer economically viable
Kashmiri farmers struggle to sell bumper fruit harvest
Despite a good harvest of apples and pears, farmers in Kashmir are finding it difficult to sell their produce due to restrictions imposed by the authorities on transportation and communication facilities
Sheepherders conserve quality Kashmir Merino stock
Good management practices have helped sheep farmers to ensure a quality lineage of Kashmir Merino, a hybrid of the government’s crossbreeding program. It has boosted local production of wool and meat
Heavy snow hurts Kashmir’s apple farmers
Extreme weather events such as untimely snowfall and heavy floods have harmed the apple crop in Kashmir; one way to reduce losses is to properly implement a crop insurance scheme
Next-gen Kashmir farmers turn to water wisdom
A new generation of Kashmiri farmers are adapting to extreme weather events such as more frequent droughts by creating water harvesting infrastructure to irrigate their land
Women show the way in waterless Ladakh
As snowfall reduces and glaciers retreat in Ladakh due to climate change, a group of women is promoting traditional ways of farming that are best suited to the cold desert
Women bear brunt of poor healthcare in rural Kashmir
Healthcare infrastructure is poor in rural areas of Kashmir, and it particularly affects the women, who have to rush to Srinagar to get proper medical attention, as there is a dire shortage of gynecologists in the districts
Kashmir’s vegetable farmers reap rich dividends
Bringing more land under vegetable cultivation and using technology, farmers in Kashmir have made fresh produce available for the state in winter and for other states in summer
Permaculture sets new agenda for agriculture in Telangana
Many progressive farmers in Telangana are turning barren land into productive farms by adopting permaculture, which involves developing a sustainable and self-sufficient agricultural ecosystem
Kangri still keeps Kashmir warm in winter
The traditional fire pot of Kashmir helps people keep themselves warm in the harsh winter, retaining its utility despite the advent of modern appliances, and assuring thousands of men and women their livelihood
Farmers are making Kashmir a land of honey
Farmers growing fruits and vegetables in Kashmir are doubling as beekeepers to boost their incomes, taking advantage of vast tracts of horticultural land with their abundance of flowers
Fetching water adds to the drudgery of J&K women
Lacking piped water supply, young girls and women in rural areas of Jammu & Kashmir spend hours walking long distances to get water far from their homes and waiting for their turn at the source
Diminished Wular Lake threatens livelihoods
Fishing and other rural communities that have traditionally depended on Wular Lake are now struggling to earn a living from it, as shrinkage, siltation and ecological degradation take a toll on Kashmir’s largest flood basin
Wild animals spoil farmers’ hard work in Darjeeling
Crop depredation by wildlife is one of the biggest problems facing the livelihood security of many farmers in Darjeeling, with most of them losing up to 40% of their crop every year
Organic farming starts paying dividends in Sikkim
Ever since Sikkim was declared fully organic in January 2016, local farmers say it is helping them increase their incomes, although connectivity for rapid transportation of farm produce continues to be a stumbling block
Damage to Kashmiri handicrafts is affecting livelihoods
Sales of handmade Kashmiri carpets and shawls, which are the most profitable proportion of the valley’s once-thriving handicrafts industry, have declined drastically as machine-made products flood the market
Banni pastoralists see success in battle for survival
The Maldharis of the vast Banni grasslands in Gujarat show how people cope with enforced change caused either by natural forces or human intervention and how vulnerability can be turned into opportunity