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
Healthcare of elderly suffers with youth migration
With little livelihood opportunities in villages, the youth in rural Maharashtra migrate to cities, leading to delayed healthcare of elderly dependents and increased medical expenses
Kuruba shepherds struggle to retain traditional lifestyle
As demand for sheep wool blankets decline, Kuruba shepherds of Karnataka have started rearing their sheep for meat and milk. They have also taken to farming to boost incomes
Tharuvaikulam boatwrights adapt to changing trends
With the demand for fiber-reinforced plastic boats increasing after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, wooden boat builders of Tharuvaikulam in Tamil Nadu adapt to growing needs of the marine fishing sector
Local livelihoods curb exploitative labor trafficking
To stop poor villagers from becoming bonded migrant labor, the Odisha government needs to strengthen latest steps to cut out middlemen and boost the rural jobs guarantee program with higher wages
Farmer producer companies: let a thousand balloons float
While farmer producer companies mushroom across the country because of government’s financial incentives, problems in input delivery and sale of produce persist, making their long-term sustenance difficult
Cattle trade dwindles at Sonepur Mela
Enforcement of laws related to cattle trade has affected the famed Sonepur cattle fair, with cattle numbers decreasing steadily at the fair and sale dwindling by the year
Himachal’s organic farmers turn market-savvy
Collective representation helps smallholder organic farmers in Himachal’s Mandi district sell their produce directly to consumers in Delhi at a premium price, increasing their earnings
Custard apple thrives in Maharashtra’s dryland farms
Switching from traditional crops, farmers in rain-shadow areas of Maharashtra have found that growing custard apple suited for varied soil and climatic conditions is highly remunerative
Bamboo eliminates poverty among Wayanad villagers
Impoverished villages in Kerala’s Wayanad have found green gold in bamboo handicrafts and utility products, which have helped eliminate poverty and given them a regular source of income