This book brings together a unique collection of theoretical and empirical analyses of women’s access to land, labour and livelihoods in contemporary India. The authors recognize that gender relations must be viewed intersectionally, along with other social relationships such as caste, ethnicity, religion, sexuality and age, in order to inform an integrated analysis of women’s persistent disadvantage in India. The chapters examine a diverse range of rural and urban livelihoods within sectors such as tea plantations, nursing, hair salons, sex work and waste collection. Documenting the shifts in these sectors in the context of economic liberalization, the authors offer insights on the challenges of development interventions as women negotiate shifts in their livelihood options. Written to engage, the contributions to this book will be of interest both to the general reader and to academics and practitioners in development and gender/women’s studies.

This book examines the successful private, public and civil society models of agriculture value chains in India and addresses relevant challenges and opportunities to improve their efficiency and inclusiveness. It promotes the value-chain approach as a tool to improve access to finance for small holder farmers and discusses the possible structure of and regulatory framework for the ‘National Common Agricultural Market’— a term that featured in the Indian Finance Minister’s 2014–15 budget speech, and which is aimed towards standardizing and improving transparency in agricultural trade practices across states under a single licensing system. The book deliberates on the potential of developing innovative financial instruments into the value chain framework by supporting tripartite agreements between producers, lead firms and financial institutions. Its fourteen chapters are divided into three parts—Agriculture Value Chain Financing: Theoretical Framework, Agriculture Value Chain Financing in Cases of Select Commodities; and Institutional Framework for Agriculture Value Chain Financing. Since the concept of value chain financing is being considered as a future policy agenda, the book is of great interest to corporations dealing with agricultural inputs and outputs; commercial, regional, rural and cooperative banks; policy makers; academicians and NGOs.

This book identifies and provides reasoning for computed methods of local climate dynamics and the livelihood vulnerability indices assessment in the mountainous region of Himachal Pradesh, India. The outcomes of this study agree with the focused objectives on simulating climate change and its impact on livelihood security. It deals with several crucial methodologies to analyze livelihood security with and without climate change. The explorative deductive approach was used to observe climatic changes since the 1970s and simulated the climate until 2080. Additionally, the composite livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) without climate change and the climate change livelihood vulnerability index (CCLVI) with climate change impact were prepared. The book is beneficial for policymakers who are involved in framing and implementing policies chiefly in the Himalaya. It is also valuable for all stakeholders in society: students, researchers and academicians. It proposes discussions and debate on a new, integrated, inclusive and open approach to climate change and validates the significance of geographic knowledge in addressing climate change issues at various levels, suggesting policy measures to cope with them.

Microlending programs for low-income microentrepreneurs have become a global priority since the development of the Grameen Bank in 1976 and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations in 2015. Inspired to create their own microlending program, the deans of the schools of social welfare and business at the University at Albany were aided by the university's Small Business Development Center and the State Employees Federal Credit Union. This led to the creation of the Small Enterprise Economic Development (SEED) program. Following this, new faculty were hired in the School of Social Welfare and the School of Business to address social entrepreneurship and lead these initiatives. The impetus for this book emerged from these developments including three forums in which national and international contributors participated in workshops, panels, and chapters for this book. These forums were co-organized by the School of Social Welfare, the School of Business, and a new Center for the Advancement & Understanding of Social Enterprises (CAUSE) at UAlbany. Building on the example set by UAlbany, Social Entrepreneurship and Enterprises in Economic and Social Development explains how and why we should integrate social entrepreneurship and social enterprises with economic and social development. While this global movement varies in pace and scope, the volume features snapshots from countries and regions representing nearly all continents, including Albania, Argentina, Cuba, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Taiwan, Tajikistan, and Tanzania. One of the lessons is that social policies are critical for supporting social entrepreneurs since environmental, economic, and social sustainability are core goals of these initiatives. The chapters in this volume offer different contextual frames ranging from social enterprise business plans and measured entrepreneurial orientation to displacement dynamics (and how to avoid them) and the pitfalls of non-market economies. The contributing authors examine a variety of ventures and social policies to showcase how nations are supporting social enterprises as they attempt to meet human needs and achieve financial sustainability. The resulting volume provides a rationale for, and snapshots of, social enterprises and entrepreneurship in transitioning nations.

This book studies the management challenges and possibilities in sustaining farmer producer organisations (FPOs). It goes beyond the conventional metrics of cost-benefit analysis by drawing on 15 case studies of diverse FPOs spread across India to fill a significant knowledge-practice gap in the domain of producer collectives. The book explores issues of ownership and governance, studies the empirical basis for policy decisions on FPOs, and provides actionable insights and knowledge, keeping in mind the complexity of the institutional design of an FPO. It also discusses the envisioned role of civil society organisations in supporting FPOs and looks at the kind of institutional innovations that are needed to create a cohesive ecosystem for FPOs. A unique collaborative project jointly authored by academics and development practitioners, the book will be of use to students and researchers of agricultural economics, environment and business, agricultural development, environmental economics, rural studies, entrepreneurship, and South Asian studies. It will also be of interest to development professionals, civil society organisations, and policymakers.

The Future Rice Strategy for India presents forward-looking insights toward achieving sustainable development of the rice sector, ensuring future food and nutritional security. As a staple food for many in India, including the economically disadvantaged, there are many concerns that affect the development of rice sector. Facing issues from environmental demands to economic stagnation, access to food, food inflation, and the Food Security Act (demand – supply – distribution of rice) achieving sustainability in production and exports is an important and urgent challenge. Using case studies to illustrate existing and potential issues, challenges and solutions, The Future Rice Strategy for India presents key strategic options while considering the implicit consequences. In addition, the findings enrich the strategy and policy formulation considerations for the role of rice in the country. This multidisciplinary approach features the expertise of rice scientists covering different aspects of rice sector; from breeding to consumer preferences and markets and trade. - Uses analysis based on agro ecological zones (AEZ) patterns providing understanding of future growth patterns based on rice ecologies - Includes case studies with proposed solutions taking into consideration pros and cons of each, allowing readers facing similar concerns and issues to identify an appropriate solution more efficiently and effectively

In India, indigenous tribal communities are the most backward sections of the society and they have been a matter of great concern for the Government. More than 87 per cent of the country’s tribal population is confined to 11 states, among which Odisha has the largest number of tribal communities and Mayurbhanj district has the highest concentration of tribes. Throughout the history of development, tribal communities were trapped in a vicious circle of exploitation. This led to social discontent and unrest, resulting in extremist activities, which can be prevented only by more meaningful development of the tribal areas. This book is divided into 10 chapters, each dealing with very crucial and relevant issues. It will be useful for policy makers dealing with livelihood issues, social exclusion and tribal development-related projects.

The pandemic wave of Covid 19 made many organizations in different sectors rethink their business strategy. The pandemic wave soon became an endemic and the organizations adapted themselves to the new ways of doing business. Endemic situation indicates that the Covid virus is here to stay but with limited impact. The book provides deeper research on how organizations adapted themselves to the post Covid situation and how they look at the future. The book covers studies from the areas of marketing, finance, human resource, operations, healthcare and education.

This book looks at the policy challenges confronting India and other developing countries in creating a robust, sustainable and industrialized economy. It investigates different facets of the nature, structure, growth and impact of innovation in industries, education and within institutions to foster greater productivity and growth. The volume examines systems adopted to boost innovation and diffusion of technology in different economies while also mapping their success and failures. It offers suggestions for the future for long-term growth, sustainability and inclusiveness amidst dynamic, fast-changing technological frontiers using examples and case studies from India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, among others. The chapters in the book, written to honour the academic work of Professor Lakhwinder Singh in the field of development economics and innovation economics, highlight the importance of adopting and adapting new technologies and development models to local contexts and small industries. An important contribution to research on innovation economics, this interdisciplinary book will be of interest to students, researchers, practitioners and policy-makers working in industrial economics, international economics, political economy, innovation economics, institutional economics, industrial organization and international trade.

The book discusses important developments emerging around the land questions in India in the context of India’s neoliberal economic development and its changing political economy. It covers many issues that have been impinging the political economy in land and livelihoods in India since the 1990s, examining the land question from diverse methodological standpoints. Most of the chapters rely on evidence generated through primary surveys in different parts of the country. The book, via its diversity of approaches and methodologies, brings out new and hitherto unexplored and/or less researched issues on the emerging land question in India. The range of issues addressed in the volume encompasses the contemporary developments in the political economy of land, land dispossession, SEZs, agrarian changes, urbanisation and the drive for the commodification of land across India. The authors also examine role of the state in promoting the capitalist transformation in India and continuities and changes emerging in the context of land liberalisation and market-friendly economic reforms.