Author: Hiren Kumar Bose
Raigad farmers cultivate rice with less water
Farmers in many parts of Maharashtra are switching from water-intensive paddy cultivation to the innovative Saguna rice technique that manages soil and water more efficiently while yielding better harvests
Success eggs on Sindhudurg farmers
Demand for eggs and good market linkage have led to once-struggling farmers take up layer poultry, boosting income and earning Wados village a place in India’s egg production map
Chia seeds earn bumper incomes for Mysuru farmers
Switching from traditional crops, farmers of Mysuru district in Karnataka have boosted agricultural income by cultivating chia seeds, which are becoming popular in India because of their nutritional value
Bengal farmers conserve heritage rice against climate vagaries
Going against the general preference for high-yielding rice, some marginal farmers in Bankura have started conserving, documenting and propagating traditional rice varieties that are on the brink of extinction
Chhattisgarh tribes taste success raising honeybees
Living a marginalized life in the mining region of Dantewada, local tribes dependent on forest produce, rain-fed agriculture and wild honey have successfully taken to modern apiculture
Sinnar farmers breathe life back into irrigated farming
By collectively reviving a colonial-era irrigation system, farmers in 19 villages of Sinnar in Maharashtra have transformed a water-starved area into productive and prosperous farmlands
GI tag boosts demand for Waigaon’s turmeric
Farmers of Waigaon in Maharashtra have received a GI tag for organically grown turmeric that is rich in curcumin, known for its multiple health benefits. The cultivators hope to cash in on the increase in demand
How villagers in Poi breathed life back into a forest
In an extraordinary tale of community managed ecological restoration, the residents of Poi village near Kalyan in Maharashtra adopted a degraded forest and turned it into a lush haven of biodiversity
Drumstick cultivation boosts farm incomes in drought-prone Solapur
Perfectly adapted to dry land farming, the nutrient-rich moringa has become the crop of choice among many farmers in drought-prone Solapur, earning them a steady income throughout the year
Custard apple ushers in affluence to Maharashtra farmers
Farmers in Pimpari Dumala in Maharashtra have prospered so much by growing custard apples that they have spurned land acquisition offers to expand industrial estates
Tarapur villages use saltpan to harvest water
Although land and groundwater around the Tarapur atomic plant had turned saline due to seawater ingress and presence of a saltpan, villagers have successfully redeemed and reclaimed the land
Fishers successfully farm crabs in estuaries, protect mangroves
Many coastal communities in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district have turned protectors of mangroves because they are earning supplementary incomes by farming crabs in estuaries with help from the state government and development agencies
Konkan farms reap the bounty of bamboo
The newfound interest in the cultivation of bamboo, known as the wise man’s timber, is helping transform the rural economy in the Konkan region of Maharashtra by boosting farm incomes
Rearing fish in farm ponds boosts rural incomes
Farm ponds, built to harvest rainwater and irrigate rain-fed fields, are doubling up as fishponds, helping farmers overcome vagaries of agriculture with an additional source of income
Farmers grow coconuts in deserts to improve livelihoods
Many farmers in India, the world’s top coconut producing country, have successfully introduced coconut farming in arid regions to meet growing demand and to boost earnings
Maharashtra’s tribal farmers revive traditional crops
Recognizing the significance of traditional crop varieties that can withstand climate-related vagaries and offer nutrition security, tribal farmers have started to conserve and propagate local cultivars
Safflower cultivation sees drastic fall despite benefits
Despite its many health advantages, the cultivation of safflower for its oil is declining across India because farmers are not finding a ready market and are discouraged by the low prices it fetches
Pomegranate spells profits for Maharashtra farmers
The consistently high returns from growing pomegranates in Maharashtra, the epicenter of the fruit’s production in India, have seen many farmers adopt it over water-guzzling crops such as sugarcane and cotton
Organic farming for better yields takes wing in Gujarat
Inspired by examples of farmers earning ample returns through various techniques of chemicals-free farming, a farmers’ produce company in Rajkot is writing a new chapter on sustainable agriculture in arid and semi-arid zones
Jackfruit enjoys a second spring in Kerala
Growing profusely in the state, jackfruit is no longer a neglected crop in God’s own country because it is fetching high returns for farmers and there’s increasing awareness and acceptance of its many uses