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
Woman mason rebuilds life after devastation of Cyclone Phailin
Stepping into the exclusive male preserve of masonry, Damayanti Patra of rural Ganjam has shown exemplary determination to overcome personal tragedy and natural disaster to secure a sustainable vocation
Hungry Padma drives people from their homes
With various factors contributing to unchecked erosion of the banks of Padma River, villages along its course in Jalangi have lost farmlands, forcing women and men to migrate to distant places in search of a livelihood
God’s own country needs migrant workers to celebrate Christmas
In an ironic twist, Kerala today needs a large number of migrants to plug a labor shortage in a state that is well known for its people migrating out to the Gulf and various parts of India
Enabavi banishes chemicals for rich organic rewards
Switching to organic farming, a Telengana village has turned its arid lands into lush green farms, overcoming the scourge of farmer suicides and health problems in the process, and increasing household earnings
What stops rural enterprises from growth and prosperity?
Any external intervener who seeks to promote rural enterprises must create credible incentives for villagers to make proactive lifestyle adjustments to become reliable and highly productive producers
Konkan farms reap the bounty of bamboo
The newfound interest in the cultivation of bamboo, known as the wise man’s timber, is helping transform the rural economy in the Konkan region of Maharashtra by boosting farm incomes
Mising weavers intertwine technology with traditional skills
Living in flood-prone areas of Assam with no alternate sustenance options, women of Mising tribal community have upgraded their traditional handloom weaving skills, and have adapted to market needs for a lucrative livelihood
Forest food ensures nutritional security of Odisha’s tribes
Access to naturally grown forest produce would go a long way in protecting tribal communities in Odisha from the worst impacts of climate change and supply them with all that they need for sustenance
Assam youth are netting healthy incomes from fish seeds
Taking advantage of the plentiful water bodies in Assam, the production and supply of fertilized fish eggs has emerged as a promising and sustainable livelihood for unemployed youth in rural Assam