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
Mushroom cultivation becomes lifeline
After years struggling on paltry incomes, growing mushrooms provides West Bengali women better livelihoods and nutrition – and gives urban India more varieties.
Barge oil spill hurting beach, mangrove and livelihoods
Cyclone Tauktae bashed a barge into rocks, resulting in an oil spill that still hasn’t been cleared, hurting Mahim’s sandy beaches, unique mangrove ecology and livelihoods of fisher folk.
Sustainable honey offers sweeter returns
Smoking out honeybees hurts the bees, biodiversity and the taste of honey. So it’s no wonder a more sustainable method is catching on and increasing earnings.
Himachal government strives to boost seed production
Dependent on other states for seeds that are often unsuited for local conditions, Himachal Pradesh government has introduced a scheme to produce quality seeds locally
Eco-conscious Bishnois ensure good groundwater levels
Known for their tree-hugging environmentalism, Bishnois combine traditional knowledge and contemporary practices of agriculture to conserve groundwater.
To prevent crop raids, villagers throw seed balls in forests
To stop wild animals from attacking their crops, villagers of Uttarakhand are ensuring more fruit trees and plants are available to the animals within the forest
Traditional breeders conserve indigenous Dangi cattle
Combining traditional knowledge and technical support from scientists, breeders in Maharashtra conserve indigenous Dangi cattle known for their hardy nature
Haryana introduces crop diversification to prevent groundwater exploitation
Haryana’s groundwater extraction is much higher than the state’s annual extractable resources. Government encourages farmers to switch from water-intensive paddy to reduce depletion
Climate change disrupts livelihood of Kerala’s fishers
Extreme weather and cyclone alerts reducing the number of fishing days, besides dwindling fish catch, climate change is taking a toll on fishers’ livelihood