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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A chemistry professor’s quest to save orchids in Assam
Ankur Rajgogoi stumbled upon the beautiful orchid flower by accident and has now made it his life’s mission to conserve the species in all its diversity in his home state of Assam.
A Bodoland mission to help victims of conflict heal
The Bodoland Happiness Mission is helping people heal from the scars of decades of communal conflict through dialogue and wellness initiatives.