Suchergebnisse

AbstractRural areas have low levels of advancement and access to resources compared to urban regions, and elevating these regions is fundamental for accomplishing balanced and sustainable development. Rural uplifting typically includes a range of interventions, and by drawing in local stakeholders, rural uplifting projects can make sustainable arrangements that are custom‐made for each community's unique difficulties and opportunities. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) can contribute to and aid the government's efforts in rural development. CybageAsha's (CSR department of Cybage Software) flagship programs seek to improve rural communities through sustainable solutions. These encompass income‐generating interventions using contemporary agricultural methods as well as infrastructure development. This article analyses the impact of agricultural interventions on the farmers' livelihoods carried out by CybageAsha in 19 villages across the Pune district (India) by using the t‐test and difference‐in‐difference approach. Findings reveal that the shift from traditional farming methods to adopting new farming methods among beneficiaries has added value in improving the beneficiaries' yields, incomes, skills, and livelihood. CybageAsha's interventions positively impacted the beneficiaries, contributing to agricultural development, livelihood improvement, income generation, and a decline in migration. However, there is a need for continuous support and improvement to sustain the benefits for farmers. The article provides a new understanding for researchers and practitioners about the CSR approaches towards agricultural development. Addressing the challenges and concerns identified in the data analysis will further enhance the effectiveness of rural uplifting initiatives.

Infrastructure is vital for economic growth, industrial development, human development, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article constructs a very compressive Rural Development Infrastructure Index covering three dimensions - physical, social, and institutional, using 28 indicators and identifies infrastructure disparities in rural areas across thirty-three districts and eight agricultural divisions of Maharashtra. The results indicate the enormous disparities among districts and divisions in the State. Districts like Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Satara, Pune and Sangli perform very well. On the other hand, most of the laggard districts are in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions. The disparities are very high among districts within the physical infrastructure compared to social and institutional dimensions. Given the uneven infrastructure development in the State, the authorities need to undertake an infrastructure development programme to reduce infrastructure gaps among districts and regions. Indicators like irrigation facilities, all-weather rural roads and marketing facilities should be emphasised more, particularly in laggard districts such as Osmanabad, Beed, Hingoli, and Parbhani of Marathwada region, and Akola, Yavatmal, and Parbhani of the Vidarbha region.