Author: Hiren Kumar Bose
Embroidery takes her mind off cancer
Though a school dropout, Rabia Khatun used her Kantha embroidery skills to help support her family. Now her embroidery unit not only employs some 100 Kantha artisans but also takes her mind off her battle with cancer.
A thousand ponds for this Maharashtrian village’s vineyards
When switching from water-intensive crops to grapes didn’t solve problems for farmers in drought-prone Manerajuri, they found a sustainable water source by digging farm ponds and harvesting rainwater.
Tangy food craze – appemidi mango pickles
A must-have condiment of coastal Karnataka - pickles made from small but fragrant appemidi mangoes are so popular and in high demand now that more farmers are growing the hardy mangoes.
Saving Khovar and Sohrai arts of “painted villages”
Tribal murals that bear a remarkable resemblance to prehistoric cave paintings were fading away until a passionate art conservation couple revived it, helping the artists exhibit in international galleries.
UP’s young water evangelist
A young woman receives international recognition for her work ensuring 22 UP villages - and counting - get clean, safe water and learn how to fight against contamination.
Desi rose brings sweet smell of success
A once drought-stricken village in Maharashtra today is full of “lakhpatis” thanks to cultivating and creatively selling the “desi rose” – known for its intense fragrance and use in rituals and festivities.
Ingenious farmers breed new fruit varieties
Ever wished you could have mangoes year round, custard apples with fewer seeds or jumbo grapes? Now you can, thanks to some innovative, self-taught famers.
Visitor toll helps tribes develop their villages
District administration permits tribes to collect toll from tourists visiting Kataki waterfall. With the revenue, the toll committee upgrades the village and waterfalls, besides helping the needy
Villagers build secondary school to educate their children
Residents of Chuikhim built a secondary school, to ensure better prospects for their children. Sans funds, local youth run the school, hopeful of government aid and recognition
Social entrepreneur improves rural livelihood opportunities
Quitting a lucrative job and taking up farming, engineer runs a farm-based enterprise, enabling women farmers to become rural entrepreneurs
Students help revive traditional metal craft
Students with a passion for social entrepreneurship have helped traditional metal craftsmen to adapt to changing times with new designs, and explore new markets within the country and beyond
Medicinal herb ushers prosperity for Sagar Island farmers
Given the demand for brahmi in national and international pharma and nutraceutical markets, farmers in Sagar Island are switching from paddy to organic brahmi cultivation and getting good financial returns
Thriving through challenges, young farmer offers hope, motivation
Hailing from a farming family, a young woman has qualified herself in agriculture, succeeding despite weather-related problems. Now she motivates other farmers, especially women, on adopting new techniques and enhancing income
How Nivaje transformed into a model village
With SRI method to boost paddy yield, establishing cooperative dairy to improve livelihood, and installing biogas plants for energy needs, Nivaje has become a sustainable community
New seedless grape variety shows enormous export potential
A new seedless variety developed by a farmer-innovator of Maharashtra has better qualities than existing varieties and is a big draw in the export market
Custard apple thrives in Maharashtra’s dryland farms
Switching from traditional crops, farmers in rain-shadow areas of Maharashtra have found that growing custard apple suited for varied soil and climatic conditions is highly remunerative
Sinnar farmers switch to multi-cropping for resilient earnings
Growing a variety of crops in different portions of a field, farmers in Nashik district have improved soil health and productivity, reduced diseases and seed-to-sale time, and boosted revenue
Vasai volunteers recharge ponds to raise water table
Volunteers in the villages of Vasai-Virar have revived traditional water ponds that were originally dug for irrigation. It has resulted in recharged aquifers and increased water availability for farming
Date palms make profitable entrance in Solapur
With climatic conditions similar to that of date-growing Kutch, Solapur farmers have started cultivating date palms, finding the extended growth period worth the wait financially