Current Affairs Brain Booster for UPSC & State PCS Examination

Topic: Empowering Tribal Women

Why in News?

• In order to integrate the tribal population towards mainstream and empowering and upskilling tribal women, Tribal Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (TRIFED) has been implementing many initiatives.

About TRIFED

• The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) was established in 1987, under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 1984.
• TRIFED works for the social and economic development of the tribal people of the country.
• TRIFED also helps tribal people manufacture products for national and international markets on a sustainable basis.
• It also supports the formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and imparting training to them.
• It is administered by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Activities of TRIFED

• Minor Forest Produce (MFP) Development

• It include all non-timber, forest produce of plant origin, including bamboo, canes, fodder, leaves, gums, waxes, dyes, resins and many forms of food including nuts, wild fruits, honey, lac, and tussar.
• These are a major source of women empowerment. Based on multiple reports, it has been derived that the Minor Forest Products are mainly sold by women across the country.

• Retail Marketing and Development

• TRIFED aims to create a business market for the tribal people where they can sell their self-created products.
• It has been undertaking to source various handicraft, handloom and natural & food products.
• TRIFED has been marketing tribal products through its Retail Outlets located across the country and also through exhibitions.

Recent Initiatives

Van Dhan Yojana

• An initiative targeting livelihood generation for tribal gatherers and transforming them into entrepreneurs.
• The Van Dhan Yojana or Van Dhan Scheme, a component of the ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of Value Chain for MFP’ was launched on 14th April, 2018.
• It has been initiated by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Barwani project

• In the Barwani project of Madhya Pradesh, which is being implemented by TRIFED through the district administration, and funded by Bharat Petroleum under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) quota, more than 200 tribal women beneficiaries have been identified.
• These local tribals will be imparted training in Bagh, Maheshwari and Chanderi textile traditions so that they learn newer skills and use them to enhance their livelihoods.
• A total of 1.88 crores has been allotted to train almost 1000 tribal women in Bagh print, Chanderi and Maheshwar styles over a period of 1 year.

Tech for Tribals' Initiative in Odisha

• In collaboration with the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) the plan is to train 25 tribal beneficiaries from each of these 156 VDVKs (Van DhanVikasKendras) in various facets of micro-enterprise creation, management and functioning in batches, which will be scaled up to 10,000 beneficiaries gradually. It will engage the local women in large numbers.

Trifood Project

• The Trifood project has been launched in Raigad, Maharashtra and Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, to help in encouraging the tribal entrepreneurship.
• It is being implemented by TRIFED in association with Ministry of Food Processing (MoFPI).
• It seeks to improve the income of tribals with the help of better utilization of MFPs collected by the tribal forest gatherers.
• Being associated with food in nature, it will help tribal women and families.