Blogs

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) contribute to about 30% of India’s GDP and employ an estimated 15.50 crore individuals, as recorded on the Udyam Registration Portal in December 2023. Moreover, they contribute to roughly 45% of India’s total exports. These enterprises drive economic growth by fostering bottom-up innovation,...

A version of this photo blog was originally published on October 15, 2024 in Gaon Connection.⁠

As the first light of dawn breaks over the farm, Ravi steps onto the field to the sight of solar panels glistening under the early morning sun. This is no ordinary farm; it is an agrivoltaics installation where the land is co-utilized for cultivating crops, raising livestock and harnessing solar energy.

Ravi and his co-worker Rajesh...

"The world is on fire, from the Amazon to California, from Australia to the Siberian Arctic. The hour is late and the moment of consequence, so long delayed, is now upon us. Do we watch the world burn, or do we choose to do what is necessary to achieve a different future?" — Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac in ‘The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis’

The impact of the climate crisis is becoming more visible with frequent and increasingly devastating extreme weather events. As a result, climate change is becoming a focal point...

This is the first blog in a three-part series that presents the climate action planning process – from creation of the plan to its implementation – for three cities in Maharashtra. It records the learnings from this process and looks at how climate action plans can pave the way for sustainable, equitable and resilient development.

As India aspires to become a $35 trillion economy by 2047, our urban centres will be at the heart of this growth story. While metropolitan cities...

In a small, predominantly tribal village of Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh, Sushma and her husband Anil toil hard to cultivate tomatoes in the small parcel of land that they own. They are dependent on the income from growing tomatoes for their household expenses and to repay the loans they take to bear farming costs. However, it is not always profitable to grow tomatoes. Sometimes, they bear losses due to unforeseen weather conditions, pest infestation or poor market prices. Sushma and Anil point out that food losses are unavoidable in tomatoes — “If we do not sell the tomatoes in...

This is the second blog in a three-part series on creating children and caregiver-friendly public spaces. It looks at how cities can overcome urban challenges to foster such spaces. Read the first blog in the series ⁠here.

In rapidly urbanizing India, cities largely focus on ensuring that infrastructure and housing cater to the rising demands of the growing population. While this is important, there is little focus on developing accessible public spaces...

As climate change impacts compound, with each passing year, a new normal awaits the younger generations who will have to live with its impacts and burdens. According to UNICEF, almost every child is exposed to one or more climate and environmental hazards, shocks or stress, from flash floods, extreme heat, cyclones and air pollution to acute water shortages. Many of these children will be simultaneously exposed to multiple climate impacts, losing out on productive and nurturing environments...

Access to clean water is a critical component of our day-to-day lives. Many of us have had at least one occasion where you wake up in the morning to find out that there is no running water in the house. Now imagine, if this were the case not just for your house, but the entire city. This is what a Day Zero situation looks like, where an entire city faces water supply cuts that compels residents to rely heavily on private water tankers. In India,...

The amount of food wasted in Indian households every year could feed almost 377 million people. With an average of 55 kg food waste generated per capita annually by households, as estimated by the Food Waste Index Report 2024, the total food waste generated in India amounts to a staggering 78.2 million tonnes. This amount of food waste, if prevented, can fulfill approximately...

The second blog, in a two-part series, offers a unique bird’s-eye view of the experience of attending WRI India’s flagship event, Connect Karo 2024. Read the first blog here to know more about the themes of discussion.

Mamta Devi, 30, deftly passes her handbag to her waiting husband as she discusses expanding her venture, Didi Ke Papad, with me. She was participating in the ‘Solution Room: Enhancing Women’s Workforce...