Livelihoods
After the drought, Kerala to chase monsoon to catch rain where it falls
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.
Farmers in coastal Tamil Nadu battle drought with smart farming
Farmers of Vedaranayam in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu are surviving the current drought by growing diverse crops that suit their soil, despite the failure of the rains and not getting water from the Cauvery River for many years
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
Small pumps hold promise for smallholder farmers in Jharkhand
Many small and marginal farmers in Lohardaga and Gumla are using tiny pumps to irrigate vegetable fields, an entrepreneurial model that has potential to increase incomes for smallholders since groundwater is abundant in the state
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
Empowering rural women in Assam through the Internet
Women trained in the use of the Internet are fanning across four districts of Assam to bring its benefits to rural women, which in turn is boosting their household earnings and changing everyday lives for the better
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
Women artisans of Thar Desert overcome adversity through embroidery
Undeterred by displacement from Pakistan during the 1971 war and resettled in the unforgiving Thar Desert, women now living in Bikaner district have used their skills of traditional embroidery to earn a living with dignity
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
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
From subsistence farming to agroforestry and prosperity
Farmers in the southern reaches of Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu have turned to agroforestry to protect and boost incomes because falling groundwater levels and overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides had made agriculture unsustainable in the area
Small water pumps script success story in Assam
A survey conducted in South Kamrup in Assam shows that use of small water pumps for irrigation in an area where groundwater is abundant has resulted in significant increases in earnings for smallholder and marginal farmers
Telangana’s tur dal farmers face yet another uncertain season
The constant swing in the prices of tur dal in Telangana from one year to the next and tardy implementation of the government’s procurement mechanism have made life tough for thousands of subsistence farmers in Kodangal and Husnabad
Time has come to rethink the way we irrigate farmland
Rethinking irrigation needs to focus on end results and in exploring every possible way of reaching water to crop roots. For this to happen, perhaps the hegemony of the irrigation bureaucracy needs to come to an end
Anaj Bank frees Dalits from fear of hunger in Bihar
Community managed rice banks in several areas of Patna district in Bihar have released hundreds of Dalit families from the exploitative practices of powerful landlords by ensuring food during the lean season
A smart village rises in Bengal through agricultural entrepreneurship
A Food and Agriculture Integrated Development Action program implemented independently through a health, education and employment center has transformed Nandangram village in West Bengal by growing high quality farm produce
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
Development a distant dream on Elephanta Island
Finally set to get electricity 70 years into Independence, the development and availability of basic necessities of life such as clean drinking water or a health facility remains illusive at the three villages on Elephanta Island
Droughts, floods, and suicides: What Bihar can teach Maharashtra and other states
A deeper dive is needed to draw insights from the low prevalence of farmer suicides in Bihar than in more developed regions of India such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh
Wild animals spoil farmers’ hard work in Darjeeling
Crop depredation by wildlife is one of the biggest problems facing the livelihood security of many farmers in Darjeeling, with most of them losing up to 40% of their crop every year