379/2024-2025

17th December, 2024 : 

The need for sustainable tribal livelihoods:

For an all-inclusive development, mainstreaming of tribals by improving their livelihoods is a necessity. NABARD is actively engaged in supporting tribal livelihoods through various promotional and skill development programmes. A flagship programme of NABARD for sustainable tribal livelihoods is ‘wadi’ model of tribal development, which has evolved with the support of national and international developmental agencies and finally culminated in creation of a dedicated fund called Tribal Development Fund (TDF) by NABARD.  Building on the success of its Adivasi Development Programmes, NABARD launched a nationwide initiative to replicate the orchard model, leading to the establishment of the Tribal Development Fund (TDF) in 2003-04. Recently renamed TRIBES (Tribal Resilience Initiative for Building Environmentally Sustainable Livelihoods) to empower tribal communities.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 

The approach of TRIBES livelihood is in alignment with the following SDGs of :

Goal 1: Ending poverty

Goal 2: Achieving food security and promoting sustainable agriculture

Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 8: Promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth

Goal 13: Combating climate change, and 

Goal 15: Protecting terrestrial ecosystems 

TRIBES Livelihood in Mizoram:

NABARD Mizoram Regional Office (RO) has sanctioned 13 TRIBES projects, reflecting its dedication to transforming tribal livelihoods in the state. Out of these, seven projects have been successfully completed, while six are ongoing. A total of ₹1,899 lakhs has been sanctioned, with ₹1,694 lakhs disbursed under the sanctioned projects. The project supports a variety of crops, including orange, mango, litchi, arecanut, papaya, banana, with turmeric, garden pea, and pineapple as intercrops. Additionally, for landless farmers, piggery and poultry units have been developed to ensure diversified livelihood opportunities. The projects are executed through Project Facilitating Agencies (PFAs) such as NEIDA, World Vision India – CADP, CODNERC, and Angel Business Promoters of Mizoram. To ensure effective implementation and outcome, the projects are closely monitored at the district level by the DDMs and by consultants from NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS). 

Impacts of TRIBES Livelihood projects:

These projects span seven districts—Aizawl, Champhai, Khawzawl, Lunglei, Lawngtlai, Mamit, and Serchhip—encompassing 90 villages and benefiting and touching the lives of over 19,250 families. The initiative has successfully brought more than 3,500 acres of land under cultivation, significantly boosting agricultural productivity and sustainability. In Mizoram, where shifting cultivation (locally called jhumming) is deeply ingrained in Mizo culture, the practice has posed environmental challenges due to reduced fallow periods and declining land productivity. The TRIBES initiative has addressed these challenges by introducing land development programs, sustainable farming techniques, and capacity-building efforts. This has enabled tribal communities to diversify their crops and adopt practices that enhance productivity while conserving the environment. 

Conclusion:

NABARD has been the forerunner in designing and implementation of programmes/ projects on natural resources management and sustainable livelihoods. Tribal communities who dwell in forest fringes are highly vulnerable and dependent on forest resources. Providing better livelihood opportunities to tribal families will minimize their dependence on forests, thus saving forest resources and also improve their standard of living and quality of life.