NTFP enterprise helps tribal women farmers gain economic independence: a story from Rajasthan

Jhabla is a small village situated about 50 km from Udaipur on Udaipur-Ahmadabad highway. The village is inhabited by poor peasants of Bheel tribe.

In 2010, a NABARD sponsored watershed development project began and 17 women SHGs have were enlisted in it in Jhabla and Mor Dungri, a nearby village; the project is in its concluding phase. A cluster or federation of the SHGs has been constituted to act as an apex coordinating body; NABARD has provided Rs.1, 25,000 as the corpus fund of the federation.

Cassia tora a wild legume that is abundant in the region and locally called as punwad. The collection and sale of the seeds of this plant is a major livelihood activity of all the households in the area. Farmers usually sell the seeds to vendors in the local market in nearby town of Parsad. Over the last four-five years, some efforts were made by the local community to organize the collection and marketing of punwad seeds; however, the results of these endeavors were mixed. Though the farmers got a remunerative price due to lack of a clear business proposition the activity incurred an overall loss which was borne by the village collective. The community members struggled to actualize a reasonable threshold of their business. Since the collection and sale of seeds was mainly done by the women of the village, people were eager to start a women`s enterprise.

The Enterprise & its Efforts

The committee was elected from the existing informal village group functioning since last 20 year. It started deliberating to find the ways to engage the women in a locally suitable and economically viable activity around NTFPs. The committee was cautious to select an enterprise model where women were confident and which entailed minimum risk; it also had to be of interest to a large number of members.

After a series of meetings and deliberations, the members of Jhabla village group and the womens’ SHG agreed to set up a pilot project for the collection of punwad. In September 2015, before the season of seed collection, the Gram Vikas Committee (GVC) of Jhabla appointed a subcommittee of four women SHG members, Manju Devi, Meera Devi, Savita and Manju. The GVC initially provided a sum of Rs. 15,000 to the members of SHG to begin the purchase of punwad. The GVC set up norms for the enterprise, which included the adjustment of rates for local purchase according to the prevalent market rate on daily basis. It also clarified the roles of committee.

The subcommittee began seed collection in the Doba Mahuda hamlet of Jhabla village in October 2015. The members of the subcommittee went from door to door to convince the women to sell their punwad only to the enterprise and not to local vendors. They convinced the women that it is their own enterprise & it was expected from them to support the endeavor. The members also explained the envisaged benefits of the intervention to the village women: that there was no need of going to the market, and thus saving cost of transportation; that the profit earned would be shared by the entire village. Through, these efforts the committee was able purchase punwad worth Rs. 15,000. The GVC issued Rs 1,00,891 in three installments. In this way, the GVC was able to purchase to total produce worth Rs. 1, 15,891. Apart from Cassia tora, minor quantities of Pongamia pinnata and Jatropha seeds were also purchased by the subcommittee.

Balance sheet of the enterprise

Thus total expenses Rs.1, 15,891+ Rs.4,246= 1,20,137

Net profit = Total Sale amount – Total Expenditure (Rs.133247-120137) = Rs. 13,110

Thus the enterprise could earn a net profit of Rs. 13,110, of which 50% was distributed to the 4 committee members and the remaining 50% went to the SHG cluster. The women also realized that the overall benefits were that a) they got a reasonable price for their produce as compared to what they used to get from the vendors; b) they saved on transportation and by pooling their produce the women had better bargaining power; c) that they have more confidence in buying and selling other commodities. The women are now discussing possibilities of expansion of their business. They want to expand their business portfolio by covering other NTFPs and selected agricultural products.

Among social benefits, one can feel a greater sense of solidarity and social cohesion among the women. Even the stature of women in their respective families and social groups (particularly of the four women who handled the business of enterprise) has increased enormously.

Author – Bhanwar Singh , Ramesh Meena, Arun Maheshwari and Shailendra Tiwari