Economics and Technologies

Community-based alternatives for production, consumption, and exchange

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This section features stories of initiatives that help to create an alternative to the dominant neo-liberal or state-dominated economy. These include: localisation of economic activity with democratic control, producer and consumer collectives, local currencies and trade, non-monetised exchage and the gift economy, ecologically sensitive products and processes, macro-economic concepts that respect ecological limits, and approaches to human well-being that go beyond growth, GDP and other narrow measures and indicators.

What we do not feature are superficial and false solutions, such as market and technological fixes for problems that are deeply social and political, or more generally, ‘green growth’ kind of approaches that only tinker around with the existing system.

Kutch’s Water Champions In The Making

Local youth, with some amount of training and support, can implement solutions for the community if they understand and manage local water problems.

Fishers turn climate scientists to save beaches

A community-managed shoreline monitoring project is tracking changes to beaches to safeguard an ecosystem that is vital for fisherfolk

Village women clean only freshwater lake in Odisha, revive tourism

Under the Cloth for Work initiative steered by Goonj, 30 women from Malabiharpur village took up the task of cleaning 2,000 sq ft area of the lake.

Banni pastoralists see success in battle for survival

“After 10 years of use, a Nano car would go to Bhangarwala (mechanical waste collector) whereas Banni Buffalo will produce at least four new buffaloes,”

The market beyond drip

System of Water for Agricultural Rejuvenation method requires one-fourth of the water that drip does, to adequately irrigate fruit trees and vegetable-bearing plants.

Usha, dawn of hope and dignity

The Usha Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd. is not just a bank but a life-changing platform for nearly 23 thousand sex workers in Kolkata

Once homeless, Mumbai heroes revolutionise shoe industry

Two young men launch a company that wants to ensure that no Indian walks barefoot

The power-full people you don’t know about

For the past seven months, N K Bhat hasn't paid a penny to the Mangaluru Electricity Supply Company. "Instead I get paid about Rs 2,000 a month,"

A silicon tide lifts many boats

Free Software Movement of Karnataka teaches children from the slum how to wield a mouse and use open source software to gain 'whitecollar' skills.