Agriculture & Rural Development

India has a vast arable land area with 15 agro-climatic zones identified by ICAR, with all sorts of weather conditions, soil types, and the ability to cultivate a wide range of crops.  According to the second advance forecasts for 2019–20, total food grain output in the country would be a record 291.95 million tonnes....

The pressing need for sustainable agricultural practices is a global concern. Out of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) as proposed by the United Nations in 2015, the ‘End of Hunger’ goal lays a primary focus on sustainable agriculture, and one of its 2030 targets is to ensure the full implementation of food production...

It is estimated that around 30% of households live in energy poverty, which limits a woman’s access to education and economic opportunities while exposing them to health risks from a lack of access to clean cooking solutions with exposure to pollution from using wood, coal or charcoal for cooking and heating. This is a...

Renault and Nissan have inaugurated a comprehensive surveillance camera project to improve road safety around the Renault Nissan Automotive India Ltd (RNAIPL) plant near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The project will see 110 cameras installed around the Oragadam corridor, 48 of which are sponsored by the Alliance partners. The cameras, as well as new signaling and...

Despite the progress in recent years through POSHAN Abhiyaan, Vitamin A deficiency continues to pose a major public health challenge and remains a primary cause of childhood blindness and a contributor to malnutrition in India. The problem is particularly acute in hard to reach, socio-economically challenged areas where there is lack of awareness about...

There have been numerous byproducts of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns in CSR. Apart from projects on digital learning witnessing explosive growth, another intersection where corporate social responsibility is rightly showing interest is the one between financial literacy and digital inclusion. Access to the internet and financial services are no longer a luxury,...

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Union Budget 2022 yesterday, calling it 'inclusive and growth-oriented' – among other things – in her speech. But was it really? What did the corporate sector really think about the announcements with regard to CSR, inclusive development, job creation, the EV ecosystem and climate action? We asked leaders...

The Union Budget 2022-23 comes on the eve of elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. Expectations were high for a boost in rural development and agriculture spending. However, did the budget announcements meet expectations? What does it have in store for sustainable and rural development of our nation? “With our provision for...

Hazira-Surat, Gujarat: The partnership between Ambuja Cement Foundation (ACF) and Asian Paints will enhance the livelihood of 4.2 lakh individuals in nine villages in Visakhapatnam through water and health initiatives. As part of Asian Paints CSR initiative, ACF acts as an implementing partner for this project to revive water bodies, install water filtration systems and...

It is so easy to believe ‘it wasn’t meant to happen’, if you do not get the desired results even after putting in a lot of honest hard work for the 4th or the 5th time. It is easy to feel that it was all for vain and feel disheartened over not being successful....

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to heavily influence trends in the CSR industry. The emerging trends in 2022 are similar to the ones seen in 2021 owing to the recurring Covid waves leading to restricted movements and lockdowns in the country. This year, the focus is expected to be on directing the funds for recovery...

Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), a globally recognised organisation dedicated to transforming the lives of millions in rural India, has empowered 45 lakh beneficiaries through its various programmes since its establishment in 1993. Marking its 28th foundation day recently, the Pune-based social welfare organisation announced that it has executed rural development and ecosystem-based adaptation programmes for...