A pilot project to provide a market for forest produce has started in Simdega. Former Deputy Commissioner (DC) Simdega, Sushant Gaurav had a meeting with the representatives of Indian School of Business Hyderabad for its successful implementation.
This project will be later extended to other districts like Simdega where forest produce is available in large quantities. The tribal community and other villagers depend on the forest produce for additional income and maintaining their livelihood.
Speaking on the issue Gaurav said that the forest plays a central and important role in the culture, tradition and means of livelihood of the tribal community. “A strong bond has existed between the two for centuries. Despite this, people never get a fair price for the minor forest produce they collect. Following this step, the tribal communities will be able to secure their livelihood by selling forest produce in an organized manner,” he added.
The DC further informed that the State Government in Jharkhand is working towards establishing such a market as well as developing a policy around it. A Memorandum of Understanding signed between the State Government and the Bharti Institute of Public Policy (BIPP) of the Indian School of Business (ISB) in order to develop an action plan for establishing a secure and systematic market for huge quantities of Sal, Lah, Tamarind, Mahua, Chironji, Mahua produced in Jharkhand has started showing results, he added.
“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, tribal communities will be able to get a fair price for the forest produce. This initiative will bring about happiness in the lives of villagers who depend on forest produce for their livelihood,” said Gaurav.
The DC said that the forest produce is the main source of additional income for the tribal community. They use various plants, leaves of trees, flowers, fruits and seeds, mushroom, tuber-root and others for their livelihood and they also earn from various types of grass, oil, gum, lac and others. “People living inside or near the forest earn more than twenty-five percent of their income by selling forest produce. The villagers sell various products such as leaf bowls and datvan made from the Sakhuwa tree, oils made using seeds of various trees such as Mahua, Karanj, Kusum, Neem, Sakhua and others. The pilot project is aimed at improving the use of available resources in order to improve the economy in rural areas,” he added.