What Happens When Mithilanchal’s Makhana Attracts Global Demand?
A highly labour-intensive agricultural crop, makhana has been witnessing rising popularity in urban India and export demand. How has this surge affected the farmers who cultivate it?
Hands That Brew: The Complexities of Female Labour in the Making of Rice Beer
Traditional drinks are often regarded as repositories of culture. In Centrepiece, Rini Barman explores some of the less romantic aspects of this practice and the many implications of the act of brewing rice beer.
Stable Income, Drinking Water, Rest: A Delhi-based Gig Worker on Unionising for Basic Labour Rights
Saif, a rider with multiple quick-commerce platforms in Delhi, asserts that urban India can no longer do without doorstep delivery. Why, then, does gig work remain undignified?
Salt, According to Taste
Cooking, like translating, sits at the liminal intersection between what can be measured and what is driven by instinct.
Famine, Migration and The History of Bengal’s Zero-Waste Culinary Culture
In Bengal’s kitchens, curdled milk becomes sandesh; vegetable peels become khosha bhaja and bata; and fish is relished from scale to tail.
Support Vidyun to Provide Well-rounded Nutritious Meals to 100 Children
At this afterschool centre in Ahmedabad, food is an immersive part of the learning experience—helping children build connections, think critically, and engage with the world in deeper, more meaningful ways. Help The Loca…
Our Favourite Stories On Food and Labour
Want to familiarise yourself with this quarter’s theme? Here are ten stories we think you’ll love, recommended by the Local Food Club team!
Making Well-rounded Nutrition Exciting at an Afterschool Centre in Ahmedabad
At Vidyun, an afterschool centre with a robust meals programme, children are learning about nutrition, science, and food history along with their evening snacks.
“I knew the food cultures of Ukhrul could find a place here.”
— Shirik Chingri, who runs Indigenous Basket, a shop in Bengaluru
Neiwekha Akami Is One of the Last Paddy Farmers Preserving Aged Rice
In Nagaland’s Losami village, Neiwekha Akami is one of the last paddy farmers preserving aged rice.
“This ensures I get some money every day to light my stove”
“This ensures I get some money every day to light my stove”—Kesar Londhe, Wastepicker, Pune
India’s honey exports are rising exponentially, but at what cost?
Even as small-scale producers struggle to harvest honey amidst climatic stressors and environmental degradation, India’s honey production continues to grow significantly, largely through a policy push that encourages the…