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India's rice revolution

John Vidal

February 16, 2013 |

The Guardian |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: India, Bihar

The System of Root Intensification (SRI) method resulted in dramatically high yields from one Indian village. The system centers on a "less is more" approach and results in higher yields—without the use of GMOs. The idea has faced barriers in spreading, as scientists are wary of it, even as villagers embrace the empirically successful approach.

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What a Little Land Can Do

Tina Rosenberg

November 21, 2012 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Kolkata, West Bengal

In many parts of the world, not owning one's own land is more directly correlated to poverty than other factors such as illiteracy, but land reform is controversial, difficult, and expensive. A new program called Landesa is having success in India through a non-confiscatory model that gives families tennis-court size plots.

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Haiti's road to recovery

Jacob Kushner

June 28, 2012 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Haiti

An essential roadway in Haiti is being rebuilt in the kind of aid Haitians say is vital to economic recovery after the catastrophic earthquake of 2010. National Route 7 is an important highway for farmers and other merchants who transport their goods for sale to Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince. The current dangerous conditions of the road lead to deadly accidents as well as car troubles which prevent farmers from selling their harvest. Other much larger reconstruction projects in Haiti are often more expensive, yet not as vital in bringing actual change or long-lasting benefits to Haitians.

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Nepal sees end in sight for trachoma

Amy Yee

June 23, 2012 |

The Lancet |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nepal, Kathmandu

In Nepal, specialty eye hospitals are training staff to travel to remote areas of the country to provide eye care to rural communities. This initiative is aimed to prevent and treat trachoma, a degenerative eye disease, with the goal of ultimately eradicating blindness caused by trachoma.

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Can Coffee Kick-Start an Economy?

Daniel Bergner

April 06, 2012 |

The New York Times |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Kasese, Western Region

African coffee growers sell their raw beans cheaply to traders, earning very little for their work. The creator of Good African Coffee in Uganda was able to sell the first African roasted coffee internationally by selling consumers the story of the coffee.

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Doing More Than Praying for Rain

Tina Rosenberg

May 09, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nanyuki, Laikipia

Most insurance companies avoid insuring poor farmers because the transaction costs are too high, but a non-profit in Kenya created a sustainable way to cover them.

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How to Grow a Social Business

Tina Rosenberg

February 04, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Guatemala, Antigua Guatemala

Two columns on microconsignment, a new variation on microcredit that helps poor people living in developing countries - particularly women in rural villages - start small social businesses without taking on debt or requiring previous business skills. The organization, Soluciones Comunitarias, partners with a non-profit and a university student program to manage the supply chain and other components of the business necessary to support the social entrepreneurs in successful micro-ventures.

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When Microcredit Won't Do

Tina Rosenberg

January 31, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Guatemala, Nebaj

Microcredit can get people into debt when used poorly. A company in Guatemala is giving products to poor entrepreneurs on consignment and then charging a commission upon sale and in this way removing the entrepreneurs' risk.

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Illuminating Thoughts on Power

David Bornstein

January 14, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Tamkuha, Bihar

A follow-up article on Husk Power Systems, which has created a scalable system to turn rice husks into electricity that is reliable, eco-friendly and affordable for families in India. The company bases their business model around local involvement, grassroots systems that cater to the immediate community, and continual accountability. This article fills in some information gaps from the initial piece, "Fixes: A Light in India."

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Filling the Gap Between Farm and Fair Trade

David Bornstein

October 25, 2010 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nicaragua, Managua, Managua

The non-profit Root Capital created a lending initiative in Mexico which helps mid-size rural farmers gain access to capital, skills, and consumer markets from which they would otherwise be excluded.

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