Ashwini Chhatre – författare

Agriculture plays an essential role in the growth of developing economies, as agricultural production is key to food security and is closely intertwined with the livelihoods of many. This book explores the lives of smallholder agricultural farmers in India and the dire challenges that agricultural households face.Focussing on the Lakhpati Farmers initiative, the book examines interventions made by the programme to economically empower farmers and accelerate income growth in the agriculture sector. The programme, initiated by the Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives (CInI) in the tribal belts of central Indian states, helped farmers earn over INR 100,000 (or one lakh – hence Lakhpati) per annum. The programme engaged with households in 12 districts across 4 states – Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Gujarat – to bring about change through economic empowerment and improve the quality of life of tribal communities. This book documents these initiatives and strategies to meet the aspirations of small and marginal farmers by understanding the ingredients, processes, and challenges involved. The book analyses the programme, examines case studies, and offers ways forward.Part of the Innovations, Practice and the Future of Public Policy in India series, this volume will interest students and researchers of agriculture and rural development, business management, governance, public policy, development studies, and sociology.This book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Agriculture plays an essential role in the growth of developing economies, as agricultural production is key to food security and is closely intertwined with the livelihoods of many. This book explores the lives of smallholder agricultural farmers in India and the dire challenges that agricultural households face.Focussing on the Lakhpati Farmers initiative, the book examines interventions made by the programme to economically empower farmers and accelerate income growth in the agriculture sector. The programme, initiated by the Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives (CInI) in the tribal belts of central Indian states, helped farmers earn over INR 100,000 (or one lakh – hence Lakhpati) per annum. The programme engaged with households in 12 districts across 4 states – Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Gujarat – to bring about change through economic empowerment and improve the quality of life of tribal communities. This book documents these initiatives and strategies to meet the aspirations of small and marginal farmers by understanding the ingredients, processes, and challenges involved. The book analyses the programme, examines case studies, and offers ways forward.Part of the Innovations, Practice and the Future of Public Policy in India series, this volume will interest students and researchers of agriculture and rural development, business management, governance, public policy, development studies, and sociology.This book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

India's rural transformation journey has been remarkable – characterised by innovation, community resilience, strategic interventions, and continuous learning from both successes and challenges. Delving into India's rural livelihood, this volume presents learnings from livelihood interventions across the country. Through the authors’ on-field experiences and case studies, the book documents the evolution of flagship programmes like the National Rural Livelihood Mission, showcasing how decentralised approaches and collective action have fostered sustainable changes within India’s most vulnerable populations. Whether it is about graduating tribal communities from extreme poverty to creating women-led enterprises, or introducing watershed management and climate-resilient farming, this book captures diverse strategies that have proven effective in different contexts. Each chapter reveals implementation challenges, success factors, and scalable solutions, demonstrating how government programmes, partnerships, and community ownership create widespread impact far beyond individual beneficiaries. It highlights the critical role of women's collectives, place-based approaches, and the potential of ecological livelihoods in building sustainable rural economies, offering a roadmap for replicating successful interventions adaptable to local contexts and emerging challenges.Part of the “Innovations, Practice and the Future of Public Policy in India” series, this open-access volume is an evidence-based compilation which will be an essential resource for policymakers, development practitioners, researchers, and students seeking to understand effective rural development strategies and working on global development, development policy, rural development, public policy, and social policy.