Sustainable Utilisation of Non-Timber Forest Products

Aligning with this year’s theme “Ecosystem Restoration” of the World Environment Day, the Girl Power project team organized an event of Tree Plantation, keeping in view the COVID protocol in different places. The guests were Asha Lakra, Mayor, Ranchi; Dr Kamini Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Ranchi University; and Rajesh Kachhap, MLA Khijri (Ranchi). A total of 35 plants were planted in various places including campus of Ranchi University and Ram Dayal Munda Park, Ranchi. The Mayor, on this occasion, gave a special message to women entrepreneurs, focusing on the importance of plantation and its deep linkage with enterprise on how a plant/tree can contribute to one’s income. Jharkhand has a unique relation with forests since ancient times. The word ‘Jharkhand’ connotes ‘area of land covered with forests’. Therefore, literally as well as symbolically, Jharkhand is associated with forests. Tribal people have enjoyed the right to collect Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) by tradition. In the beginning, they used to collect NTFPs only for consumption, but later they came to sell them for cash income.
During the project’s Baseline Survey, it was found that NTFPs are found in survey areas too. The minor forest produce provides employment specifically to the tribal families round the year in Jharkhand. NTFPs have been considered as Common Property Resources and available in forest areas. The tribal areas in Chhotanagpur and Santhal Parganas are rich in NTFPs like Tendu leaf, Sal seeds, Mahua, Kusum, Karanj, Palas, Harra, Bahera, Amla, Neem, Honey, Wax, Gum etc. In the forests of Chhotanagpur region, medicinal plants such as Amla, Harra, Bahera, and herbs such as Satwar, Papuravi, Amarlata, Neem, and Bel, are highly valued. During the season of collection, the tribals, including male, female and children, collect the produce from the forest. The collection and quantity depend on the availability of NTFPs in that area. A majority of the species are available between April and July. For collection of NTFPs, villagers, including tribal women and children, go deep inside the forests and cover long distances ranging from 3-10 km. The tribal women give more time for collection and processing of produce (drying and storage of Tendu, Siali, Sal leaves and seeds). The commodities are used for self-consumption and sale depends on quantity.
Non-Timber Forest Products are the next major alternative source of income after agriculture in the study area of the state. The average income and unpaid employment generated through NTFPs based self-employment for the surveyed population in the area varies from `1500-6000/household/ annum. This plays an important role in supporting their livelihood.
A few insights on major NTFPs collected from the study villages are;
Mahua: The tree grows in forest and in the agricultural field area. On an average, every family has two to three trees. One tree yields about 10 kg of dry flowers and oil is extracted from Mahua fruit and is used for self-consumption and selling.
Tendu leaves are collected by most families; each family collects an average of 200 bundles in a season. One bundle comprises 100 leaves, tendu fruit is collected and sold. Each family collects an average of three basket (Dalia) and each Dalia contains 20-30 kg.
Sal fruit collection by the families ranged average 4-6 tins. The oil extracted from Sal seed is utilized for cooking, lighting and massage purposes and the residue oilseed cake is utilized as cattle feed.
Kusum and Karanj seed is collected for self-consumption for extracting oil consumed in cooking, lighting or lubrication and the residue oilseed cake is vended as cattle feed. The oil has medicinal /therapeutic use.
Bel, Ber, Jamun fruits and Mushroom are eaten for supplementing nutrition and health. These fruits are also sold in local market.
Bamboos are priced for its multifarious uses like young culms (Karla) for pickle, culms for brooms, baskets, fans, sieves, fish trap, plates and other handicrafts-making, sticks, huts, tool handles, fishing rods, hunting materials making etc, in the area of the state.
Lac is found abundantly is some districts identified for baseline survey under the Girl Power Project. Lac has a good market at local and regional level. Price fluctuation has largely affected the income of the farmers.
An assessment was done to explore not only the current but also the potential contribution of NTFPs to both livelihoods and biodiversity. It was seen that NTFPs can play a critical role in providing both food and income for the poorest households, notably by creating income and employment opportunities for women. The project focused on identifying the critical gap for successful NTFPs initiatives that provide income opportunities by evolving value added products, models and methods as well as scope of NTFP based enterprises. Two important forest products in the region are Lac and Mahua, which have potential to provide employment to thousands of tribals living within and around the forest, and therefore these commodities are included in the work plan of the project to impart training to rural women to motivate them to become entrepreneurs by establishing product based enterprises in their vicinity. Mahua is often considered synonymous with alcohol in the context of tribal life and culture.
However, in Jharkhand, many grassroots organizations are engaged in discovering and promoting other uses of the Mahua collected by tribal communities.
While there has been growing concern for forest conservation and bio-diversity issues, management of the NTFPs as a viable alternative to timber has begun to attract attention. A realization has already emerged to shift focus to NTFPs, whose effective and purposeful use could meet the objective of revenue generation without affecting forest conservation measures. Also, future human needs for food, water, health, energy, and settlements to a large extent depend on how the forests are managed. Accordingly, needs for concerted efforts arise not only for conservation of NTFPs but also their proper use for sustainable development.