SERICULTURE A SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD OPTION FOR TRIBALS - NABARD (15)

பட்டுப் புழு வளர்ப்பு 

SERICULTURE,

நபார்டு வங்கியின் 

மலை வாழ் மக்கள் 

மேம்பாட்டுத் திட்டம் 

ஜவ்வாது மலை  

NABARD'S TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

IN JAVVADHU HILLS OF 

EASTERN GHATS

S.T.SUDHARSAN, Asst. General Manager, NABARD (National Bank For Agriculture and Rural Development) Thiruvannamalai District, Tamilnadu

S.T.SUDHARSAN

A lakh and seventeen thousand rupees in just one year!!!  An ecstatic Malayali tribal poor Shri. Venkatesan, crying over the roof top in Alanjanur village of Jamnamarathur block in Javvadhu Hills in Thiruvannamalai District in Tamilnadu. 

It is a dream comes true. Thanks to the unique project launched by NABARD in association with Sericulture department and involving an NGO, BHUMII Trust to take of the last mile efforts in ensuring sustainable livelihood option.

Thiruvannamalai district is one of the backward districts of Tamilnadu. The district has 7 taluks 18 blocks including one tribal block, Javvadhu Hills which is a part and parcel of Eastern Ghats. There are about 49 different tribes living in the Eastern Ghats, but Malayalis are the predominant one in Javvadhu Hills.

The characteristics of the tribes are typical as elsewhere, with indiscriminate exploitation of forest resources and poor natural resources management ( soil and water ) crop and animal production practices resulting in low productivity and degradation of agricultural land and depletion of forest resources, the main support system of the tribal. As a result of low income and shortage of food, majority of the tribal families migrate to nearby towns or states for sustenance for 3 – 4 months every year.

WADI approach of sustainable livelihood promotion is a proven model tested in many states to overcome the above problems of the tribals. This led to question as to whether WADI approach is the only solution to tribal development or any alternative means are possible. A crucial meeting of officials of sericulture department seeking NABARD’s intervention for development of sericulture in Javvadhu Hills provided the answer in conceiving an alternative livelihood option for the tribal poor.

Considering the suitability of the land and the weather conditions for Mulberry cultivation and silk worm rearing, the Department of Sericulture has been working in Javvadhu Hills since 1983. The farmers in this area are, therefore, familiar with silk worm rearing for over 3 decades. Yet the area under Mulberry could not be expanded  beyond 50 acres and cocoon production was confined to unscientific way of silk worm rearing within the household premises. Farmers could rear only 25 to 30 layings per crop and the poor quality of cocoons could not fetch them beyond Rs.20/- per kg.

Under these circumstances, in the year 2011, NABARD and the Department of Sericulture jointly conceived the idea of launching a pilot project to initiate 110 tribal families in raising Mulberry plantation in half to one acre of land and for establishing exclusive sheds for scientific rearing of silk worms over a period three years, NABARD has engaged BHUMII Trust, an NGO as Project Facilitating Agency.

The broad features of the project are under:

The project is to be implemented over a period of three years i.e., from 2011-12 to 2013-14 to cover construction of 110 rearing sheds viz., 30 sheds during the first year, 35 sheds during the second year and 45 sheds during the third year. The layout of sheds is uniform across all beneficiaries, constructed as per standard specifications ( 42 x 17 x 15 ft.  ) prescribed by the Sericulture Department.

NABARD’s overall assistance from TDF – the Tribal Development Fund is 43.90 lakh, while the subsidy component from the Sericulture Department is Rs.27.5 lakh. The unit cost of each shed is Rs.69400/- and each participant is expected to contribute to the extent of Rs.14400/- mainly by way of labour i.e., shramdhan. The beneficiaries’ contribution is mainly in brick making, bamboo shafts for cross beams and masonry work.

Impact of the project:

• About 48 acres of additional area already brought under Mulberry cultivation.

• Out of 65 beneficiaries covered in the first two years of implementation, 42 farmers are already into rearing of silk worms.

• After establishment of rearing shed, the farmers are able to harvest cocoons atleast 5-6 times a year.

• As against Rs.20/- per kg realized earlier, the rearers are now getting Rs.400 – Rs.500/- per kg due to better quality white silk cocoons.

• Adoption of technologies like drip Irrigation, Vermi composting, etc. have been introduced to the beneficiaries.

• As part of convergence of other Government Departmental schemes, health insurance, higher subsidy for Mulberry cultivation etc., have been extended to the beneficiaries of the project.

• Once all sheds are commissioned, the beneficiaries would be grouped to jointly market the cocoons.

Taking Forward…

The project is unique involving collaboration of three agencies viz., NABARD, Sericulture Department and BHUMII NGO. While NABARD extends Grant assistance for promotion of Livelihood opportunities for the tribals, Sericulture Department extends technical guidance and subsidy assistance. The NGO has expertise in mobilization of community and in forming participatory Groups for furthering the benefits accruing from the project.

With the Pilot Project proving to be successful, farmers are keen to pursue Mulberry cultivation. Plans are afoot to expand the activity on a larger scale and to set up a Reeling and Twisting unit in the near future.

( AMONG THE OTHER THINGS YOU INTEND TO "CUT OUT" IN YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION, INCLUDE THE WORD " IMPOSSIBLE " -NAPOLEON HILL )