Rural India is home of the original gig-economy worker. Enterprising villagers hop from tilling fields to tending shops, to door-to-door selling each day. Read the latest trends in micro-enterprises, rural start-ups and the shifting livelihoods of India’s villagers.
Livelihoods
Jharkhand’s tribal women make natural cups and bowls but find no takers
Hundreds of women sell eco-friendly, sal-leaf cups and teeth-cleaning datoon twigs, but barely make Rs 70 a day. Still they persist with a grin that never betrays their hard life.
‘Super Figs’: Why figs from Western Ghats hills in Pune are high in demand
Figs, guavas, custard apples – fresh or preserved into jam – from the Purandar orchards on the rolling hills of Pune find ready customers in big cities and abroad, leveraging the income of farmers.
Manipur’s uncommon ‘salt of the earth’ and the threat to its legacy
Thumpak, the traditional salt cakes of Manipur, are still used for rituals, but their demand for everyday use has dwindled with the proliferation of commercial packaged salt.
With no vaccine in sight, Kerala pig farmers feel the heat of African swine flu
While Kerala’s state government follows stringent measures to stop the spread of the swine flu, pig farmers in the state struggle with losses, despite government compensation.
Cost-effective jalkunds help Manipur’s farmers tide over water woes
With climate-induced erratic rainfall affecting agriculture, the farmers of Manipur turn to jalkunds – low-cost water harvesting structures that go beyond irrigation needs and double their income.
Modern Farming: Growing potatoes on Mars? Ask these Ladakhi women farmers
Growing vegetable crops in covered low tunnels, trenches and unique greenhouses that protect their plants from the hostile elements, women farmers of Changthang, Ladakh take up modern farming to reap huge dividends.
Chhath Puja: How Muslim women contribute in Hindu festivities in Bihar
As cooking prasad on an earthen stove is important, Muslims make the stoves, continuing their family tradition. They take pride in their contribution to the Hindu festival of Chhath puja, despite low profits.
Fish on The Menu: A tale of reverse migration, malnutrition and tribals of Odisha
Fish farming helps the young tribals of Malkangiri, Odisha ditch migrant work for a profitable livelihood at home, boosting fish production and fighting malnutrition to boot.
Village Economy: How Karnataka quilts stitch comfort and history
Often seen as a side hustle, skilled women quilters in Karnataka keep their heritage alive upcycling colourful scraps of fabric into beautiful patchwork quilts, earning good money too.