Livelihoods

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This Andhra man’s rhapsody revives natural farming

Music and manure don’t usually mix, except in the case of Janni Narshingh Naidu from Illayipuram village in Andhra Pradesh, who finds a novel way to inspire his fellow farmers to adopt natural crop-growing techniques.

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Millet-chocolate laddoos – fusion food and revenue for Rajasthanis

Recipe for success – mix a heap of millets, a handful of chocolate, a large amount of inspiration and an empowering self-help group and, voilà! Rajasthani women who never set foot outside their homes without a veil are now flying across India selling their food.

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This Jharkhand changemaker turned adversity into an opportunity

Rani Chaki, a farmer from Jharkhand’s Konkoa village, rose from tragedy to resurrect her family’s fortunes, becoming an inspiration for other women. She is now recognised as a changemaker in her community.

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Farmer and pulse pioneer shapes a water-efficient future

As we celebrate World Pulses Day today, meet Balchandra Ahirwar, a pioneering farmer from the Bundelkhand region, who is championing water efficiency through pulse cultivation.

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Mango plantations are reviving livelihoods in Chhattisgarh

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Once a conflict-ridden region, the Community Model Mango Plantation Initiative has empowered tribal farmers in Sukma, Chhattisgarh to embrace sustainable farming practices, diversify their incomes, and reconnect with their ancestral land.

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Why natural farming stops Maha villagers migrating 

Thanks to natural farming, the people of Kumbharwadi are embracing agriculture as a vocation, eschewing the tendency to migrate to cities for income.

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Union Budget 2025: Agriculture key to development

Village Square breaks down the policies announced as a part of the Union Budget 2025 that are likely to impact rural India the most.

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Faith in the long game of natural farming

Battling climate change and financial woes, a tribal farmer puts his faith in organic, natural farming methods – betting that enriching his soil will reap rewards in the long run.

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Reviving traditional red gram in drought-prone Dewas, MP

When everyone around him was growing genetically modified Bt cotton, one Madhya Pradesh farmer saw red. Finding the negatives of GM crops outweighed the positives, the farmer from Dewas switched to red gram.

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A better future takes seed in Andhra farmer’s hands

She employs time-tested methods of preserving organic seeds, enabling better crop yield in the bargain. Meet Sidhipalem Chinnammi of Andhra Pradesh’s Illayipuram village, who uses everything from bottle gourd to clay pots to keep her seeds fresh.

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This youngster chose farming at 26

It is heartening to come across someone like Vikram Sagar, who has successfully made the leap from city life to full-time farming in native Coorg. Village Square chats with this young farmer who is transforming agriculture with innovative practices.

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Cock a doodle do – how women are changing the pecking order in Banjhi Kusum

Livestock farming was once a dreaded livelihood idea in the small village of Banjhi Kusum. But when a handful of women were armed with the necessary skills and resources, they did not chicken out. Instead, they turned livestock farming into a sustainable enterprise.

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How integrated farming saved the day for Andhra farmer

Madhusudan Rao and his wife Karamma, from the Soura community in Andhra Pradesh, fought challenges like illiteracy to embrace progressive farming techniques. Their success has inspired others from the region.

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Drought to abundance: water harvesting turns the tide for this Dewas village

Several measures adopted by the residents of the Magradeh village, in rural Madhya Pradesh, including building a check dam and switching to natural farming, are helping change the fortunes of its villagers.

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The bangle heart of India

The story offers a vivid exploration of traditional craftsmanship in a bangle-making factory. It showcases the intricate processes and artistry involved in creating vibrant, ornate bangles, highlighting both the manual skills and tools essential to this art form.

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Dacoit’s den to dairy hub: The story of a Chambal village

Anchored by faith in Shri Harsukh Baba and the purity of dairy farming, Kamai village in Madhya Pradesh’s Chambal region has transformed from a bandit’s burrow to a community renowned for its ghee through a generations-old tradition: milk is sacred, not for sale.

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This Maha farmer banks on rare seeds for a sustainable future

Despite challenges like illiteracy, Swati Dhamle pulls out all the stops to ensure the seed bank she heads in her Maharashtra village thrives. The seeds act as repositories of the region’s agricultural heritage.

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How an Andhra woman inspired her village to adopt natural farming

When Janni Jyoti adopted natural farming techniques, she had no idea that her entire village would soon follow in her footsteps. Read about the trailblazer from Andhra Pradesh’s Rankini village.

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Looms of Ladakh – weaving pashmina dreams

Looms of Ladakh, a cooperative founded in 2017, transforms the lives of women across 16 villages. Empowering them through a farm-to-fashion model, it ensures artisans are involved in every step of production, from raw wool to luxury products.

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From day-care to soil care – Chhattisgarh woman teaches natural farming 

After excessive fertilising stripped nutrients from her village’s soil, an anganwadi teacher takes it upon herself to educate her community about the perils of chemical farming and how to cultivate agri-nutrition gardens.