Governance

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Successful self-governance in Barkheda leads others to embrace gram swaraj

Restoration and effective management of village commons to the financial benefit of the community in Barkheda village of Madhya Pradesh has prompted 90 neighboring villages to adopt self-governance

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Varoti villagers demonstrate the power of collective action

A new model of active engagement between villagers, the implementing non-profit and a corporate philanthropic foundation in Varoti village in Maharashtra shows a new way forward for development interventions through the corporate social responsibility route

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Singur emerges as procurement hub for local farmers

Once the infamous political battlefield centered on the construction of a car factory, Singur in West Bengal has become a beacon of hope for local farmers, who sell their produce wholesale at fair prices at a state government promoted marketplace

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Farmers in Maharashtra fear loss of kharif harvest, blame Met department

Farmers in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra are expecting a decline in crop yield during the autumn harvest and are holding the India Meteorological Department responsible for incorrect forecasting

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The shape of India’s non-profits in the 21st century

NGOs in India need to adapt to the shifting landscape of India by working in tandem with the state and markets, and retain their difference. This is a critical reform or perish phase for them.

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Is direct benefit transfer really a panacea for the rural poor?

Given the complex and varied situations in rural India, the results of the direct benefit transfer method are so far mixed at best and debilitating at worst, as seen in the subsidies for farm equipment and fertilizers

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Collective farm gate procurement offers solutions to cover price crashes

Farmer producer companies have started to play an important role in procurement from smallholders, which guards against price crashes that has been plaguing marginalized farmers across the country despite record harvests

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Millets travel from tribal farms to dinner tables

The indigenous Dongria Kondh community in Odisha is helping to restore the popularity of native varieties of millets that can grow in droughty weather conditions, even as millet products gain traction among affluent consumers for their many health benefits

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Marathwada farmers face bleak sowing season

Although the Maharashtra government has announced a loan waiver, deeply indebted farmers of Marathwada still do not know how they will get the money to buy farm inputs this sowing season ahead of the monsoon

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Facebook, WhatsApp curbing child marriages in Assam

At a time when social media is being used to spread lies and malicious rumors, a group of young people in Assam are using WhatsApp and Facebook groups to prevent child marriages in the underdeveloped district of Darrang

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Custom of child marriages must be fought on multiple fronts

There is no silver bullet to defeat the scourge of underage marriages. Rather, it is important to extend the scope of current interventions among adolescents and the communities they grow up in, which then need to be backed up by suitable government policies

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Girls join football clubs to resist child marriages in rural Bihar

Once topping the charts in child marriages in the country, Bihar has reduced the incidence of this social evil considerably, helped by innovative interventions such as starting girls clubs for solidarity and encouraging them to play football

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Water control is the strongest anti-poverty measure

Once we realize that one size does not fit all, it will be easier for the government and civil society organizations to tailor strategies to manage water in the different agro-climatic regions of the country that truly benefits the rural poor

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Indigenous community in Dang fights for land rights

The people of Navagam village in Dang district of Gujarat have said they would boycott upcoming assembly polls if the government does not resolve the long pending issue of land and house titles

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After the drought, Kerala to chase monsoon to catch rain where it falls

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After the century’s worst drought, people in Kerala are now getting ready to harvest rain in their backyard wells, temple ponds and lush forests. Citizens, voluntary groups and the state government are ready with a set of measures. It just needs to rain.

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Many fellows but not too many ships to anchor

To make fellowships that connect with rural realities really worthwhile, it is necessary to provide pointed guidance through mentors who are ready to engage, a vital aspect that many of the programs are not addressing adequately

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Small pumps are a viable solution for poor farmers

Although small pumps for irrigation doesn’t get the attention it deserves, evidence from groundwater-rich states such as Assam, Jharkhand and Odisha show that they have significant benefits for small and marginal farmers

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Kole farmers of Kerala reel under unprecedented drought

Inadequate freshwater supply from rivers and saline ingress has dealt a double blow to the rice farmers of Kole paddy lands in Kerala even as the state tries to cope with a severe drought

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Solar pumps bring relief to smallholder farmers in Rayagada

Using small solar-powered pumps to irrigate vegetable gardens could transform lives of tribal farmers in Rayagada district of Odisha by boosting farm incomes and stopping seasonal migration to faraway places

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Dry land distress drives people to break stones in quarries

A lack of livelihood opportunities is compelling villagers of Vidisha district in Madhya Pradesh to take up jobs in local stone quarries, where unregulated work conditions are often extremely hazardous for their health