• 2000 out of 3000 families involved in trading from about 160 SHGs involved in trading on a regular basis.
• Group capacity built on quality control, which has enabled them initiate quality check process on their own.
• Groups able to quote a price; they organize meetings among themselves for sustainable harvesting and quality collection, storage and value addition.
• Market linkages provided to local and state level NGOs, market network of NGOs established and interface with traders initiated, market support to SFPMCs, other cooperatives, etc.
• Banajata brand for 18 cooperatives.
• 16 value added products tested. .
• Market access activities availed both within and outside the field area.
• Capacities of other stakeholders like local NGOs, FDAs, DSMS groups built.
• Database on procurement trade in selected cluster, value addition, low cost technologies, and market information collected and circulated amongst different stakeholders and facilitated more and more CBOs to get involve them selves in NTFP trade process with confidence..
• Assessment of ground situation –identification of important players of NTFP trade and linking them with cooperatives for collective regulation trade-at least 50% collection and trade of NTFP being controlled by the group in 18 cluster of the project.

             Quantitative achievement:

Traders’ Network Established:

• 64 Tanneries identified for market access.
• Trading initiated with Corporates like Dabar, Baidyanath, Zandu & Venketeswar Foods, Natural Remedies, BEC Foods,

Price Trend:

Promotion of NTFP enterprise:

INVISIBLE OUTPUT:

• Confidence of primary collectors and their collectives built on NTFP collection as a viable livelihood support option.
• Collective trading has helped increase the bargaining abilities of the groups that has in the process impacted price situation not only in the project area but also in the entire area (may not be at the district level).
• Collectors from the project adjacent areas, who are not direct beneficiaries of the project, have started organizing themselves for trading.
• Groups have successfully roped in the PRI members, especially the Sarpanchs to help them in procurement and trade. They have reminded the Sarpanchs of their responsibilities as per the March 2000 Policy.
• There are some examples of these alternative market access initiatives influencing trade related decision-making at different levels. For example, it has made private traders as well as the state procurement agencies active; the district administration is prioritizing NTFP collection and trade.
• The communities organized for NTFP are now taking up other issues like the forest rights issues, alcoholism, violence against women, etc.

ORGANISATIONAL REFLECTIONS:

What has changed?

• Bargaining abilities of groups changed.
• Price has marked a substantial rise so is the profit.
• Number of commonly traded produces has increased.
• Skills of primary collectors as regards sustainable harvesting have increased.
• Number of traders increased – evident from the GP registration records.
• Volume of transaction within the project area increased as collection in the project fringe areas have increased.
• No distress sale as SHG Federations/Cooperatives can buy at any point of time.
• Traders are also linked to non-members who offer them the same as to members – non-members can use trading network.
• Instances, though limited, of withholding produces.
• Forest dependence and protection initiatives increased.
• Micro capital has helped people to hold produces for some time for better prices.
• Women have the resources in their hands and are now coming forward to take decisions not only with regard to NTFP but forest as a whole.
• Local traders and other marketing agencies have become active and are unable to cheat primary collectors on grounds of quality of produces collected.

Not changed:

• NTFP market has remained as elusive as ever.
• In some places, people still depend on local moneylenders and barter system goes on.
• Due to relatively easy access to market, there are instances of sustainable harvesting practices.
• People still sell produces raw – very limited processing, especially in the interior pockets.
• Cheating in weights, quality, etc still continues in some areas.
• Performance of the state forest produce marketing collectives has remained as bad as ever.

LESSONS LEARNT:

Constraints:

• Organized trading is still a problem and exploitation by traders continues.
• Local traders getting organized to keep the price low and not allowing outside traders to operate.
• Ability to withhold the produce to deal with market fluctuations as well as physical storage has been an area needing attention.
• Volume of raw trading is more than processed trading.
• Since there is limited capacity in handling business activity on the part of group entrepreneurs, market promotion assistance needs to be constant, consistent and professional.
• Limited competencies on sustainable harvesting practices restricting the bargaining abilities.
• Lack of objectivity in deciding parameters of product quality and standards helps in continuation of exploitation of PCs.
• The SFPMCs more or less defunct and in no position to support NGO initiatives.
• Since NTFP is not a priority for the state, there is no accountability nor integration/convergence of efforts – lack of interdepartmental coordination.
• The liberal policy of Orissa not recognised leading to harassment of traders by forest department authorities of other states.
• Absence of minimum coordination among various actors of market system specially from facilitating bodies like APEDA, SPICE BORD, NOVOB and research organizations sharing expertise with group even payment of cost.
• Information barriers on market trend, actor, management method and collection and good harvesting practice.
• TSPICE BORD, NOVOB and research organizations sharing expertise with group even payment of cost.
• Information barriers on market trend, actor, management method and collection and good harvesting practice.
• Since NTFP is not a priority for the state, all supporting agencies and structures are defunct and there is no accountability.
• Controlling procurement through organized trading, sustainable harvesting to enhance product quality and conservation of forests, and value added enterprise development could very well answer food insecurity issues in the arid and semi arid areas.
• Local communities are ready to organize themselves if properly mobilized.
• There is a rich reservoir with the local communities in terms of traditional forest management, which very succinctly blends conservation and livelihoods.

Observations and reflections:

• At a micro level the project has been able to impact substantially in terms of ploughing back revenue to the primary collectors but since the current livelihood initiative is going on in a small area creating larger impact at the district level has been a matter of concern.
• The impact on the SHGs, CBOs, local traders and small NGOs operating close to the project area. Similar initiatives are being taken in terms of collection and RCDC has been approached to support in terms of market access.
• Groups have now successfully influenced the PRI functionaries to give priority to NTFP species in panchayat plantation work and related NTFP related work with employment guarantee schemes
• Promotion of forest-based livelihood has the ability to address both poverty and environmental degradation.
• Controlling procurement through organized trading, sustainable harvesting to enhance product quality and conservation of forests, and value added enterprise development could very well answer food insecurity issues in the arid and semi arid areas..
• Local communities are ready to organize themselves if properly mobilized.
• There is rich reservoir with the local communities in terms of traditional forest management, which very succinctly blends conservation and livelihoods.
• Considering the remote nature of the area, the nature of trade and traders operating and the low level of information available, the intervention has been particularly useful restoring confidence on NTFP trading for livelihood, start a process of bargaining for price and rights, knowing fairly well the laws and policies that have given them the right.
• The PRI functionaries have been influenced to give priority to NTFP species in panchayat plantation work and related NTFP related work with employment guarantee schemes.
• Trade of NTFP definitely risky and complex but organized cooperatives can successfully intervene at the local level and earn dividends.