Introduction

Bastar, the tribal district, before splitting into three districts, was one of the largest district in India, with an area of 39114 sq k.m, which was even greater than the Kerala state and some other countries like Belgium, Israel etc. In the year 1999, the district Bastar has been divided into 3 districts namely Bastar, Kanker and Dantewada. All these 3 districts come under Bastar Division with the divisional head quarter at Jagdalpur, which is the district head quarter of Bastar district. The beauty of Bastar district lies in its natural forest area and various types of tribals. The total forest area is 7112 sq k.m which is more than 75 % of the total area of the district .Of the total population more than 70 % are tribals like Gonds, Abhuj Maria, Darda Maria, Bison Horn Maria, Munia Doria, Dhruva, Bhatra, Halba etc.

The Bastar District is abundantly and richly endowed with forest resources. The forests in this district can be divided in to four belts, namely, Northern Mixed forests, Central Moist Region comprising of Sal belts, Teak belt zone and the Dry region comprising mixed forests. The Northern mixed forests are found in Kanker and Bhanupratappur tehsils ( now in newly formed Kanker district) and this region is more important for minor forest produce rather than timber.

The Moist Region in Central Bastar where sal is found predominantly. The South Western terrain is the most important in which the best quality of teak is found. The dry forest region is interspersed between the moist belt and teak belt but more confined to western and southern part of the district. The various types of trees found in Bastar forests are Teak,Sal,Sirsa, Bijasal, Kusum,Palas,Mahua,Imli, Tendu,Harra,Kanha,Salai,Achar,Dhowara, Bhulra, Rohni, Amla,Khair, Samar etc. The Major types of forest in Bastar division are Sal forests,Teak Forests,Mixed forests and Bamboo forests.

The forests of Bastar district, which comprises more than 70% of the total land area, constitute a variable storehouse of industrial raw material for forest based industries. The forests are located on comparatively easy terrain and it is one of the rare forest areas in the country where Sal, Teak, and miscellaneous forests naturally occur over extensive areas. Forests of the Bastar are the only area in India where hard wood and bamboo occur together in large quantities. Sal forests occur on sandy loam and lateritic soils and definitely avoids swampy areas and dry localities. The major portion of the forest area is covered with Sal forest which mostly lies on the plateau. In the hilly region, Sal is confined to narrow valleys and on lower slopes . The best sal forests are found in Bastar plateau ,where sometimes it forms up to 90% of the crop in the over wood. The Sal forests here are generally of good quality touching even all India 1st quality. The Sal forests also occur intermingled with mixed forest or large grassy blanks.

Minor Forest Produces

Bastar, being a district with dense forest, is rich in Minor Forest Produces (MFP). Because of having these MFP, the district is contributing a major revenue income to the state. The important MFP available in Bastar district are Chironji, Amchur, Vaybidang, Karanji, Shikakai, Ghot pal, Mango Kernal, Tamarind, Cashew, Kosa Cocoons, Peng Seeds, Karkatiya Seeds, Nirmali Seeds, Ambadi, Amla, Charota Seeds, Chirayta,Mahua, Harra,Bamboo,Tora, Dhavai Phool, Bhilwan Seeds etc.

The study

A study was conducted in Bastar district to find out the dependency of tribal people on NTFP.

Study area

The study was carried out in Bastar district. However stratified purposive sampling method was adopted for selecting blocks, villages etc. A total of 5 villages were studied - 4 in Jagdalpur Block & 1 in Darbha block, 2 haats of each Block were also studied in order to ascertain trade practices.

Methodology

• Discussion with traders, Commission agents, executive committee members of traders’ association.
• Discussion with staff and Executive Director, MFP federation.
• Discussion with local NGO
• Interaction with villagers.
• Direst observation of Mandis at Narharpur of Kanker District, Pakhanar & Nangur of Bastar District

Village – Gehunpadar

G.P - Netnar, H.H – 80 (ST community, Dharua ), low Land – 25 acres (App), Highland & Medium Land – 200 acres (Approx)

Villagers sale their NTFP at Nangur market which is 10 Km from the village. The traders at Jagdalpur purchase the produces, store and sell at Jagadalpur Mandi or at Dhamtari & Raipur through the brokers. During tamarind season traders from Andhra come to Jagadalpur Mandi to purchase tamarind after the collapse of “Van Dhan Samities”.

Village – Dangar Pada (Hamlet Village of Asna)
Gram Panchayat – Asna, Block – Jagdalpur, Total Household –25

House hold Survey at the village

Village –Kotwarpara (Hamlet of Cherbahar)

Gram Panchayat – Kekagad, total land is approximately 200 acres out of which low land (Gavar) is 60 acres Medium Land (Marhan) 100 acres & high land (Dangar) 30 acres. Cherbahar village consists of 4 hamlet villages.

House hold Survey at the village Kotwarpara ( Cherbahal )

House hold Survey at the village

Village – Mamandpal

Gram Panchayat – Mamandpal, Block – Darbha, Household – 75, Population – 650

House hold Survey at the village

Observations

• Sal Seeds, Tendu Leaves, Harra & Gums are nationalised in the state. The state MFP federation collect and market these produces through three tier cooperative structure; Primary Cooperative Society at the village level, District Union at district level and CG MFP Federation at state level.
• Rest produces are free in the state. Some products such as Mahua seeds & flower, Karanja, Kusum, Tamarind & Neem Seeds if bought in Mandi, the buyer has to pay a 2% Mandi tax. There is fixed price for the produces and extent of exploitation by the middlemen of these produces is very high.
• Bastar district is rich in NTFP which are the major source of income for the tribal people. If proper arrangement on collection and trade can be done for these produces the tribals can be highly beneficial.
• Jagdalpur is the major and nearer market of these produces and the primary coolectors engaged in this trade can not reach directly in the market. Through different channel these produces arrive at the market. Van Dhan Samiti model can be adopted for proper trading arrangement for the tribals.
• NTFP market at Raipur is a credit market. The payments are made after one month. Cash payments can be made at 2% discount to the seller. Dhamtari is a big market for herbs and most of the produces come from Bastar division.

Introduction

Mahua is a large deciduous tree growing widely under dry tropical and sub tropical climatic conditions. It is an important tree for poor, greatly valued for its flowers and its seeds known as tora. The tree has religious and aesthetic value in the tribal culture. The trees with best girth in forest are often Mahua trees as it is protected and cared by forest dwellers. Mahua tree can be found in forests, revenue, and private land. The early settlers had rights to specific Mahua trees occurring near the village in private, revenue and forestlands. Some trees may even be located at long distance from the village but are recognised as being associated to a family. These rights are only for harvesting flowers but not for fruits and have been practised. These rights have passed from generation to generation. When father divides the property among his sons, he also divides Mahua tree between them but keeps some for himself till the end, as it becomes an easy source of income. In absence of sons, harvesting rights are given to daughters when they get married. Sometimes villagers of one region, in dearth of Mahua, visit relatives who have trees in abundance.

Harvesting and use

Flowering in Mahua occurs in February- April. The fruits ripen in June- July and fall off soon after ripening. A large evergreen tree with numerous branches, the fleshy cream coloured sweet petals fall soon after flowers open out. During the flowering season, large quantities of petals are collected. Mahua flowers are rich source of sugar, vitamin, and calcium and thus offer wholesome nourishment when boiled with rice. In view of their high sugar content and absence of toxicity, tribal and other rural people eat them, both raw and cooked. Mahua flowers are considered good for cooling, and are used as a tonic and demulcent. They can also be baked into cakes. Tribals use dried Mahua along with wheat flour to make chapattis and also boil it with rice. It is roasted, powdered with gram, and eaten with Sal seed as sweat meat. However, flowers if eaten in higher quantities can cause vomiting and uneasiness. Most of the tribals near forest area distil Mahua flower for liquor. The liquor has a strong, smoky, foetid odour, which becomes less on ageing. It constitutes an important material for fermentative production of alcohol. Redistilled and carefully prepared liquor are of good quality. Items like gud and tar are seen as substitutes of Mahua.

Mahua flower is a very high value product in Sarguja district and is also available in plenty. Apart from household consumption, huge amount of the produce is sent to other parts of the country every year. Procurement of the flower starts from March and it continues till April end.

The forest dwellers leave their houses early in the morning, sometimes as early as 5 AM, for the forests for collection of mahua. They are back sometime in the afternoon and processing immediately starts at their level, i.e. sun drying etc., to sell the produces. The peak time of Mahua flower collection is from 8 A.M to 1 P.M and felling of mahua flower from the trees increase as the day temperature increases. Generally a family has to wait till 2 P.M to collect all the flowers and during a bumper season, a person can collect around 15-20 kg of Mahua flower per day. After collection, the raw materials are dried for 3-4 days till those become light green and then turn reddish. The flower is then ready for liquor preparation, consumption or sale.

The price of Mahua flower varies from time to time in a particular season. At the beginning of the season it’s price is more i.e. Rs 6-7 per kg and gradually the price decreases as production increases i.e. Rs 4 - 6 per kg. At the end of the season the price again increases as production decreases gradually and again it is Rs 6-7 per kg. Price can also vary depending on quality, basically dryness. The more dried it is, more will be its price as that can be stored for long time, even during rainy season. The tribal people generally keep some amount of Mahua flower for domestic consumption. When quantity stored for domestic consumption is finished they depend on open market and this time it’s price is around Rs 10 per kg, just double as that of the flowering season.

The tribal community generally prepares liquor in their own traditional method. They keep the dried mahua flower in a big container and water is added with certain specific ratio. Then salt and a little amount of ranu guti is added and boiled for 3-4 hours. Now it is ready for consumption and the cost is Rs 10 per 750 ml in the name of Manda Arkhi.

In 2002 the harvesting of mahua flower was much more and during this bumper season average collection of mahua per family per day was 15- 20 kg and earning could go upto Rs 100. All the family members were engaged for a month during March-April in collection of the produce. During the survey time villagers were engaged in collection of tendu leaves, but it does not give them better returns in comparison to Mahua flower as the collection and marketing of tendu leaves is under govt. control. In later case, they do not get the payment immediately. Tendu leaves collection can last upto a maximum of 10 days in a season and a person can earn a maximum of Rs 60 a day.

The villagers in Gumgaon village of Udaypur block were engaged in Mohua collection from March 2nd week to April 2nd week. 20 % of Mohua trees are present either in revenue land or around the villages, the rest being in the forests. Villagers have to walk around 2 KM to reach the forest. They leave their home early in the morning at around 5 o’clock and start collecting Mahua that would have fallen the previous night. By 8 o’clock Mahua flower starts falling till 12 noon. In the mean time collection process continues and is kept in a reservoir, popularly called tokni. For example if there are four persons in family engaged in collection, each member is allotted a tree to collect all produces.

Around noon, they help each other in the process of collection and start moving. Sometimes they place the collected Mahua in the jungle for sun drying and a person is engaged there to look after the activities. Around 30 % of the total collection is kept for domestic consumption. Rest is marketed either in the nearest mandi (on Saturday) or through grocery shops in the village and around. However, kutchias try their best to buy the produces from primary collectors. Kutchias in turn sell it to the traders keeping a margin of 25 to 50 paise in every kg of product. Anyways, there is hardly any difference in price wherever the produce is sold. Average per family collection of Mahua during last season in the village has been found to be 8-10 quintal and earning upto Rs 3000/-.

At times, tribal people exchange Mahua with rice in grocery shops. In barter system, 3 tami mahua is exchanged for 1 tami rice (1 tami = 2 kg). Some times members of tribal communities pledge their collection of Mahua against borrowed rice and salt from the village shop.

In Sayar, one of the villages of Study, this season, villagers had sold mahua at Rs 5/- per kg to kutchias or the grocery shops. The channel of mahua from village Sayar to Ambikapur, district Head Quarter of Sarguja is as follows. The diagram also shows the price of mahua at different levels.

Traders at Ambikapur store mahua after buying from different parties, from where it is primarily transported to Ranchi. Mahua flower can also be sent to other parts of the state or neighbourhood M.P, if the areas have had less harvest for some reason or other.

During rainy season villagers consume the quantity of mahua kept with them. During winter when the festivals start they again require mahua for social as well as domestic consumption. This time they depend on the market and buy the same produce at Rs 9-10 a kg. What generally happens is that traders at Ambikapur again sell the stored mahua to small traders at Rs 8-9 a kg. Villagers are not able to store sufficient amount of mahua with them for future due to lack of storing facility and also as they need cash at the time of harvesting.

Primary collectors sell a part of NTFPs procured from the forests directly to consumers in the village itself or in local level weekly market. A diagrammatic representation of mahua marketing in the village Chakeri is described below.

Trade Channel of Mahua

Village level

Primary collectors are engaged in the process of collecting NTFPs round the year. A primary collector usually spends his entire life in a hand to mouth situation. Whatever he collects has to be sold immediately to feed his family. In such situations, he hardly gives a thought to what is the existing trading system, who is the end user, scientific method of harvesting etc. After collection from the forest land he/she immediately starts adding value to the produces at his/her level and sell at local haat, grocery shops or to the village trader popularly called as kutchia.

Kutchia Level

The term kutchia means a small trader, generally used for a person who acts as a middleman between primary collectors and traders. Most of the times, he resides in the village itself, who collects mahua flower from own and adjacent villages. This man has a very vital link in the whole process. Because of the small amount of NTFPs with primary collectors, they generally prefer to sell those in the nearby markets or in the nearby shops. The relationship between the kutchia and the primary collectors is cordial and the former provides cash advances to the latter in times of need, during the period of food shortages. Primary collectors always depend on kutchia as they think him as their well-wisher. At any haat, kutchia would be present. He intercepts the primary collectors on their way to haat and tries his best to buy the NTFPs there only and mostly succeeds in doing so. He always gives the same price as prevalent in haat. Kutchia has got enough strategy to convince the primary collectors and buy the collections. He always makes immediate payment for the NTFPs bought by him. His own profit comes from the commission, which is usually 25-50 paisa per kg. He cheats the illiterate people by under weighing their collection but always sells it to the trader by properly weighing it. Kutchia also has very good relationship with the small traders.

Small Traders

The traders operate at a level higher than the kutchia. He usually has a working relationship with a number of kutchias to whom he advances money for collection from primary gatherers. He pays commission to the kutchias for their services. Some of these traders have storage facilities also. The traders have sound knowledge on marketing strategy of different NTFPs. Generally they own grocery shops in the near by market. So on days when there are no haats and the poor gatherers require money they sell their collection and receive immediate payment. He sells all the collected NTFPs to the big traders, generally in Ambikapur. Before that he collects market information of NTFPs of the current season and then keeping the margin sell the collection. Sometimes when the collection becomes much more the small traders hire trucks and send the collections to Ambikapur.

Big Traders

Big traders are settled in the district head quarter, Ambikapur. These people have storage facilities. They engage kutchia and small traders in collecting the produces from primary gatherers. In this level the traders directly deal with the government officials for transit pass and tenders for the nationalized NTFPs also. They have very good knowledge on marketing strategy of non-nationalised NTFPs and knowledge of end users also. They are having their own vehicles for transporting the collection.

Introduction The Central Indian state of Chhattisgarh has taken several initiatives to ensure livelihood security to the local population. The objectives of the study are: To explore Government initiatives for the endowment of ownership rights to the local population. To examine impact of removal of exploitative practices in NTFP trade due to the formation of the Minor Forest Produce Federation in improvement of th livelihood of the collectors. To examine whether the stat government's initiative for 100% income distribution from Nationalised NTFP trade by the MFP Federation is being properly implemented To examine whether the JFM approach has had any impact on the attitudinal change and motivation levels amongst the people and forest personnel and its consequent effect on better community management of NTFPs The study area: CHHATTISGARH STATE, INDIA • Location: Central India     -lat 17 0 46' n to 24 0 6'n    -long 800 15' e to 84 0 15'e • Catchment : four main river systems Mahanadi, Godavari, Narmada& Ganga • Forestry scenario in Chhattisgarh: Gross area : 1,35,224 sq km Forest area : 59,772.4 sq km (44 %) Dense forest : 39,557 sq kms Open forest : 17,136 sq kms Sal forests : 24,245 sq kms Teak forests : 5,600 sq kms Misc forests : 29,894 sq kms Bamboo forests : 6,074 sq kms Estimated growing stock : 320.4 million cmt • Population Human popu : 17.6 million-Tribals 2.15(22.32%),S.C-5.7(37.13) Popu. density : 130/sq. kms. Govt. empowerment initiatives 1. Indian National Forest Policy, 1988 adopts the JFM approach to Forest Mgt. The state resolutions 1991.1995 and 2002 -major steps in peoples' empowerment for sustainable NTFP based Forestry Mgt 2. The 73 Amendment to the Indian Constitution rd Provisions of the Panchayats (extension to Schedule Areas) Act, 1996 endows ownership rights over MFPs on village level institutions 3. State Govt endows ownership rights to the village communities under the following principles- a) harvesting of MFP on non-destructive basis b) members free to collect MFP for own use c) the manner, frequency and intensity of MFP collection for other use to be as pera Mgt. plan prepared by the Zila Panchayat 4. Establishment ofa huge three tier co-op structure of2 million NTFP gatherers under 913 Primary Co-operatives& 32 District Unions 5. Decision to distribute 100% profit from tendu leaves trade done by the MFP Federation amounting to nearly 700 million as follows: 1. 70% to collectors 2. 15% for MFP/Forest Mgt 3. Balance 15% for infrastructure dev

THE STUDY AREA: CHHATTISGARH, INDIA CHHATTISGARH, ONE OF THE THREE NEW STATES OF THE INDIAN UNION WAS CARVED OUT OF THE EASTERN 7 DISTRICTS OF ERSTWHILE MADHYAPRADESH. IT IS A TRIBAL DOMINATED AREA WITH .44% FOREST AREA   End to migration self employed rural micro credit from societies youth through Shy rural women organise themselves into self help groups Sustainable livelihoods to forest dependent population         Source : http//www.cifor.cgiar.org

Findings 1. Awareness of rights over NTFP amongst collectors as envisaged under the various endowment initiatives of the government-led to increased social cohesion amongst NTFP collectors 2. People have been motivated by the facilitatory approach of the forest department and have started to sustainably manage NTFPs like Tendu Leaves 3. Massive control over exploitative practices achieved in Nationalised NTFP trade by MFP Fed Proper distribution of collection wages ensured 4. JFM approach succeeds in becominga peoples' movement with NTFP playing major role for motivating people to sustainably manage forests to improve their livelihood security 5. Profit sharing mechanism well placed and being implemented in time-US$ 15 million distributed from state to communities each year 6. Decentralized decision making process has set in due to estab., of three tier co-operative structure 7. Visible attitudinal change towards collaboration with people amongst all layers of forest administration 8. Exemplary institutional development-JFM societies (6687), primary coops, women self-help groups Some key livelihood support initiatives• Rate of pruning increased from INR 10 to 20 per bag • Collection rate of tendu leaves raised from INR 400 to 450 in 2001 (INR 85 in 1989 Time of Nationalisation) • 16.77 lakh bags tendu leaves collected in 2001 with wage distribution of INR 821 millions • 4,74.225 qntls sal seed collected in 2001-wages INR 152 million distributed. • Sal seed collection rate increased from INR 3 to INR5 per Kg in current year . INCOME DISTRIBUTION ATA GLANCE (IN MILLION Indian Rupees) Year Total Bonus Infra Forest   Profit to coll dev Dev 1998-99 585.4 292.7 175.6 117.1 1999-00 740.4 518.2 111.1 111.1 2000-01 445.2 311.6 66.7 66.7 Discussions ·The giant steps taken by the Government of Chhattisgarh to facilitate community empowerment and establish an innovative NTFP management has been extremely successful in improving rural livelihoods especially in the stress period of summer months when in most of the area no employment opportunity is available. ·Ploughing of income from NTFP to rural infrastructure has improved yield in agriculture and ensured food security · The proposed steps will goa long way to establish the large basket of NTFPs available from the forests of the state asa vehicle of ensuring higher returns to collectors especially the rural population and improve rural livelihoods ·Large scale diversification in primary processing and value addition will provide sustained NTFP based rural livelihood ·Need of the hour is to ensure investments from end-users through consent or legislation, ensure marketing, standardize raw material as per demand, set up IPR wing to protect local knowledge and coordinate R&D effort development of plant resource including genetic engineering and large scale propagation of improved varieties of plants of NTFPs. Dr. ARVIND BOAZ* Dr. (Mrs.) OLGA BOAZ** * Director SEECO, R-1, Anupam Nagar, Raipur Ph: 91-7712283797 e-mail: olgaboaz@yahoo.com ** Chief Conservator of Eforests, Chhattisgarh, Raipur Ph: 91-771-5057750 e-mail: dboaz@sancharnet.in

Srishti Educational Society was formed in the year 1999 with some distinct objectives especially to document traditional medicinal knowledge on herbs, to create awareness about Indian medicinal & aromatic plants, to form a national database of herbs and medicinal plants, to establish a gene bank of rare medicinal and aromatic plants, to promote in-situ and ex-situ conservation of herbs, to promote commercial cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants, to develop ecofriendly pest management practices, to educate the herb lovers about various aspects of herbs, to introduce new processing technologies to herbs growers, to assist herb growers in herbal marketing, to conduct scientific research on herbs, to manufacture pure Ayurvedic medicines and market them, to establish Srishti University and impart higher education in herbal sector and to conduct research on medicinal plants, to promote awareness about Conservation, Protection, Cultivation of Medicinal plant among the people and farmers etc.

An Herbal Nursery has been developed for medicinal and aromatic herbs in order to provide genuine and organically produced planting materials and at present it prepares over 2 lakhs of poly bags. Special emphasis is being given to Roulvolfia serpentina , Termialia arjuna , Putranjiva roxbarghii, Gymnema sylvestris , Aloe vera etc. For promotion of organic cultivation, it is necessary to promote the use of organic inputs. SHARI is in his mission to develop ecofriendly, cheap and effective organic inputs for high value medicinal and aromatic crops. So it prepares vermi compost by using advanced scientific technologies.

The Research Farm of Srishti Educational Society is located 35 km away from Raipur and situated in Doomer in Durg District to provide Technical Guidance and Consultancy to herb Growers. At present, over 50 herbs growers all over India, cultivating about 30 species of medicinal and aromatic crops, are under their technical guidance. Over 20 Indian medicinal and aromatic crops are under cultivation in this research farm. The total area of farm is 44 acres. Besides commercial cultivation, over 100 rare medicinal and aromatic plants are grown in Herbal Park “Dhanvantari Udyan” situated inside the farm. SHARI’s research laboratory is also situated in this farm where laboratory trials are in progress.

Activities of Srishti Educational Society

Srishti Educational Society has organised seminar on Herbal Conservation, Cultivation, Marketing and Utilization with special emphasis on Chhattisgarh, the Herbal State, national level research seminar on herbs in association with CG MFP Federation.

Recently Srishti Herbals organized one-day general Health check-up camp for woman and children at Doomar (Durg) in which around 200 villages particularly actively participated. Time to time Srishti Herbals organizes different events in