Agriculture
Cold storage units running on pico hydropower help farmers earn more
With limited transportation and no cold storage facilities, farmers in Himalayan states sell their produce at the local market for a low price. Cold storage units powered by pico hydropower offer a cost-effective solution.
Traditional ‘hangadi kheti’ revitalises Rajasthan’s agriculture
In drought-prone Rajasthan, an initiative is helping tribal communities combine hangadi kheti, a traditional multi-cropping method, with modern drip irrigation to use water judiciously and improve their livelihood.
From fields to skies: Rural women soar with drone training
Over 1000 women farmers have been trained in operating drones at the Drone Destination, enabling them to improve their farming skills and increase their income.
Where farms produce more bricks than crops
Financial needs push farmers in Perera Pur village in Uttar Pradesh lease out their land to kilns. Making bricks with the topsoil of a farm reduces soil fertility, productivity and income, forcing farmers into a vicious cycle of economic challenges.
Mixed signals for rural sector in latest Union Budget
India's 2024-25 Budget presents a mixed bag for rural development. With increased overall funding but cuts in crucial programmes like MGNREGS, the coming year will reveal if these allocations can effectively address the challenges faced by the rural economy.
Assam farmers reap benefits of sustainable irrigation technique
Alternate wetting and drying, a sustainable irrigation technique, is helping paddy farmers in Assam reduce the cost of irrigation, enhance crop production and decrease methane emissions from their fields.
A low-power cold storage solution to help farmers
This Purdue and IIT Kharagpur alumnus has won the Union government’s Prajjwala Challenge for a unique cold storage model he has created to help Indian farmers. He talks to Village Square about the innovation.
How this youth champions organic farming
Satyam Kumar from an agricultural family, immerses himself in organic farming and related activities after graduating in chemistry, and works towards changing unfavourable perceptions about farming.
What this interim budget holds for rural India
While the Rural Development Ministry got increased allocation, with MGNREGS getting a boost, not all schemes saw hikes in the interim budget 2024-25 presented by the Union government on Feb 1.
Why urban youth should care about rural India
India’s youth have the potential to bridge the urban–rural divide and bring about social, economic and digital inclusion, and also ensure sustainable development.
Farmers turn to organic farming thanks to this ‘agri-friend’
Observing the rampant use of farm chemicals and resultant asthma among villagers, Geeta Rani Satpathy becomes a krishi mitra, and with an indirect approach convinces farmers to give up chemicals and practise organic cultivation.
Delivering smart solutions for sustainable food security
In this visual journey, we encapsulate the determination and hard work of farmers from around the country. From traditional farming to technological advancement, farming has evolved differently under different climatic conditions. This kisan diwas we celebrate farmers across India who toil day and night to put food on our tables.
Kashmir stares at a saffron sunset
Pampore, the hub of Kashmiri saffron, casts a gloomy picture as production of the prized spice declines due to climate change, encroachment of fields, inadequate irrigation and intrusion of cheaper Iranian variants
Cultivating liquid gold in Uttarakhand’s tea odyssey
A brew of tradition and ambition unfolds in the lush terrains of Nainital as sustained efforts to grow tea by 10 villages and the Uttarakhand tea board are reaching fruition.
Rajanigandha perfumes Odisha’s cyclone-wrecked Ralaba
Ralaba’s rajanigandha fields are a source of livelihood and a testament to a community’s ability to reinvent itself after a natural calamity.
Add this tourism village in Kerala to your itinerary
The recent recognition of Kanthalloor in Kerala’s Idukki district as one of India’s top five tourism villages exemplifies its commitment to ecological sustainability, agricultural prosperity, and responsible tourism.
Can you identify a millet plant?
Many people choose a career in development to improve the world, but often the insights gained make it a rewarding journey of personal growth – from being able to identify unusual crops to appreciating rural life more deeply.
Kashmir’s walnut harvesters are in danger
Amidst the lack of proper protective gear and ignorance of safety techniques, the walnut growers in Kashmir urge for safer means of harvesting to avoid life-threatening accidents.
Nutmeg spices up income of Tamil Nadu coconut farmers
A newly formed farmer producer organisation has freed a group of nutmeg farmers in Tamil Nadu from the clutches of middlemen and exploitative buyers, boosting their income and ushering positivity.
Ladakh’s age-old chuspon water-use system gives hope
As the surge of tourism threatens to tip the fragile balance in Ladakh, hope exists in villages like Sakti on the outskirts of Leh, where traditional systems continue to govern land and water use.