A pilot initiative around direct marketing of medicinal plants with Dabur has resulted in an increase in the income of tribal women, as per a report released at a workshop by Chilika Development Authority Director Ajit Patnaik.
This pilot initiative, being promoted by Baitarani Initiative (a Trust) in partnership with Dabur, in more than 100 tribal villages in Baliguda, Bonai, Deogarh, Koraput, Rayagada and Paralakhemundi forest divisions, has resulted in trading of 45 tonnes of medicinal plant products with a turnover about Rs 19 lakh. Women SHG members from these divisions participated in the workshop and shared their experiences.
Value addition of medicinal plants along with assured market linkage has potential to transform the tribal livelihoods, opined Ambika Nanda, CSR Head, Tata Steel, during the occasion, underlining the need of partnerships and collaboration to launch and sustain such community led enterprise.
The initiative has helped the tribal women to sell the value added products, at a pre-declared remunerative price. It is important to note that these products viz. Harida, Bahada, Aonla, Dhatuki flower, Bhuinkakharu and Satabari are now either not being regularly marketed or price realization by women collectors has been very low. While trainings were provided to SHG women on processing of these products, payments are made by direct fund-transfer to their bank accounts, shared Baitarani Initiative director Pranab Choudhury.
This collaboration is an attempt to continue an experiment begun two years back by Dabur in these divisions in association with JICA supported Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project. Started during February 2015, the pilot project is aimed at bridging the gap in marketing of medicinal plants while also enabling sustainable harvesting and regeneration in Odisha.