TRIBAL COOPERATIVE MARKETING DEVELOPMENT FEDRATION OF INDIA LTD. (TRIFED) (Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt of India), NEW DELHI IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING OF MFP GATHERERS & TRIBAL ARTISANS

BACKGROUND Minor Forest Produce (MFP) i.e. forest produce other than timber, is a major source of livelihood for forest dwellers Scope Around 100 Million forest dweller depend on MFP for food shelter, medicine and cash income Forest dwellers spend major time on its collection and derive upto 40% of their income from MFP MFP Sector has a potential to create 10 million workdays with strong linkage to women beneficiaries Status Highly unorganised sector with no major player State Forest Departments work with the focus on environment and conservation of forest Tribals using traditional methods of collection and marketing resulting in lower income realisation from MFP and which sometime affects forest adversely Need Exploitation by middlemen Skill development and capacity building of tribals in scientific methods of harvesting, collection,storage and marketing Train as many tribals as possible

Regional offices as well as Implementing agencies were finding it difficult to make appropriate training projects Status Few implementing Agencies, more reliance on State Govt. agencies No uniformity in preparing and implementing the projects Regional offices were not willing to take additional responsibility of expanding training programmes In House observations Need Improvement in management of the training programmes

MANAGEMENT BY PARENTING Introduced this techinque of guiding, assisting, handholding and encouraging Regional offices through appropriate methods Introdued empanelemt of Implementing Agencies – Eligibility criterion, scope of work, responsibilities duties defind Steps initiated Empanelment helped improve understanding of each other’s strength, purpose, systems, deliverables etc. and expedite decision making 92 Implementing Agencies empanelled 1. Empanelment of implementing Agencies

Comprehensive need based Training modules for each MFP developed Customization of Training Modules introduced– Duration standardised, raw material & tool kits prescribed, specifications defined Training expenses standardised as trainer’s expnses, Trainees expenses, Venue related & Others Helped ROs as well as Implementing Agencies to objectively assess the terms of association Discretion removed Formats devised for each step of the trainings starting from Proposal submission till completion reports Reduced work load of ROs, improved information exchange, expedited decision making 2. Standardisation of Training module

3. Operational level customization Stipend - Stipend to be paid as seed capital to the SHGs formed after the training Payment to be made directly to the account of SHGs only. Post Training followup - Release service charges of Implementing Agency after one Year to ensure association of implementing agency with the beneficiaries for a longer duration. Quality of Trainers - A certification from implementing agency about the qualification, experience and capability of the trainer Payment to the trainers is released directly by TRIFED Standardization of Procedures for identification of potential craft, beneficiaries & Training needs of artisans Beneficiaries started forming SHGs and implementing agencies association with Beneficiaries increased. Quality of trainer improved and wherever implementing agency expressed non availability of trainers, TRIFED arranged such trainers from other States

Common Constraints Non availability of quality trainers in this field Timely availability of toolkits for the trainings Post training follow up & marketing linkage Initiate Area based approach under which training to same beneficiaries shall be imparted for all the MFPs produced in their area. It will help ensure livelihood income for round the year, reduce cost of training & encourage next level intervention in the area. Initiated effort to create a Trainer’s Bank by getting individual trained through identified Institutions like IINRG, IIFM, ICFRE etc. Only certified trainer shall be utilised for training in years to come Empanelment of toolkit suppliers Standardization of tool kits, its specification, its price It will ensure longer association of Implementing Agency at field level Expanding the ambit of Govt of Inida’s recenly launched scheme of Minimum Support Price for MFPs Use of IT to reach trainees after the training on a continuous basis (longterm)

Standardisation, customisation are helpful for MFP Development Training These initiative are of limited help for Artisanal sector as it is difficult to create artists through training Post training follow up and formation of SHGs is still not working adequately ENABLING FACTORS

IMPACT OF THESE INITIATIVES Training proposals received from ROs for approval increased to which is six times the actual number of trainees during Actual number of training increased to during as compared to 3163 during an increase of almost 5 times 6 new crafts and 6 groups have been identified in the State of Kerala (Coconut fiber and palm leaf craft), Tamilnadu (Kotta Pottery), Odisha (Papper Machie), Sikkim (Cane and Bamboo) and Tripura (Water Heisynth). 63 new artisans have been identified and empanelled as supplier and their products have been included in the product line

SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability requires longer and continuous association with trainees More emphasis on Area based approach as it would result in Longer association of Implementing Agency with Trainees Reduction in per training cost Plan and execute next level interventions Create model for replication Ultimate objective is to be a Skill Development council for MFPs

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