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
Madhya Pradesh farmers unite to fight lantana infestation
Villages in eastern Madhya Pradesh have come together to rid their land of lantana, an invasive species that have taken over 4% of the India’s land area, and have reclaimed their farms by cultivating millets and oilseeds
Fishers successfully farm crabs in estuaries, protect mangroves
Many coastal communities in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district have turned protectors of mangroves because they are earning supplementary incomes by farming crabs in estuaries with help from the state government and development agencies
Nepal’s organic manure could work wonders for Indian farmers
Nepal’s traditional bio-pesticide and fertilizer Jhol Mol is suited for many smallholder Indian farmers as well, as it can be easily made in a farm without resorting to artificial chemicals that are harmful for soil health
Kangri still keeps Kashmir warm in winter
The traditional fire pot of Kashmir helps people keep themselves warm in the harsh winter, retaining its utility despite the advent of modern appliances, and assuring thousands of men and women their livelihood
Community rebuilds life after Cyclone Phailin wrecked their fishing hamlet
Ravaged by Cyclone Phailin, people of a fishing village buried their differences and emerged with a strong sense of unity to rebuild their lives at a relocation site
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