Project

Description

Economic Development of Tribal & Smallholder Farmers in Kanker Chhattisgarh

Currently, in Kanker, we are making significant strides in collaboration with local communities, leveraging existing social capital to empower women self-help groups (SHGs) and farmer producer companies (FPCs). The SHGs, established by the State Rural Livelihood Mission, and FPCs, trained by Vrutti, have become the driving force behind the procurement and processing of custard apples. Women from 35+ villages actively engage in the entire process, from harvesting and sorting to grading and pulp production. By ensuring that custard apples are harvested with the stalk intact, we have extended their shelf life, making them more marketable. During the custard apple season (mid-September to December), the all-women teams procure, sort, and grade the fruits based on size and quality parameters. Grade A fruits are marketed, while the others are utilized for pulp extraction, supplying the market with custard apple milk, fruit shakes, and ice cream. Our procurement centers have grown from 12 in 2016 to 23 in 2020, and as of the current year, we have expanded to 24 centers. We are enthusiastic about the impact we've made so far. With your support, we aim to further transform waste and common land into productive assets by planting custard apple and mango trees. This will enhance livelihood opportunities but contribute to environmental sustainability. Our plan includes: 1. Converting Waste and Common Land: Transforming unproductive land through custard apple and mango plantations. 2. Expanding Farmers Coverage: Extending our reach from 2000 to 3500 tribal households, ensuring more families benefit from our initiatives. 3. Capacity Building for Women Producer Groups: Enhancing the skills and capacity of women producer groups for the collection and marketing of Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP). 4. Digital Literacy for Women Groups: Providing digital literacy training to empower women and connect them to broader markets. 5. Machinery and Infrastructure Support: Investing in machinery and infrastructure for procurement centers to boost income and strengthen their role in the FPO-NTFP value chain.