Livelihoods
Tribal woman in Odisha champions heirloom seeds
Raimati Ghiuria, popularly known as the Queen of Millets, from the Bhumia tribal community of southern Odisha’s Koraput district, has championed heirloom seeds and local agrobiodiversity. She has also shared her knowledge of organic farming with over 2,500 farmers.
Drought-hit Maratha village turns to natural farming
Kumbharwadi, a drought-prone village in Maharashtra, is set to rewrite its future as it undergoes a natural farming revolution. The lands are now laboratories for organic farming and natural practices as farmers apply what they learn at “school”.
Chhattisgarh farmer’s transformative “ATM model” of crop-growing
Like an ATM that dispenses money anytime, a Chhattisgarh farmer creates a process of cultivation where a field produces crops that can be consumed and sold anytime. He calls it his “ATM model” and it’s catching on.
No-cost water conservation technique saves the day in a Gujarat village
With groundwater levels declining at an alarming rate in north Gujarat due to overuse, some farmers are leading the way by adopting innovative irrigation methods.
Reimagining the idea of processed foods
A Chennai-based food technologist, with the help of farmers, has pioneered a movement of consciously processed foods and given a completely new dimension to the idea of healthy eating.
Returning to roots – natural farming bears fruit in Telangana
After three decades of using chemicals to cultivate food, a Naikpod tribe farmer returns to the natural farming her mother used to practise. Now Kanthamma embraces year-round intensive cropping, which is bearing fruit for her in ways she never imagined.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mango plantations are reviving livelihoods in Chhattisgarh
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.