| Ford Foundation: |
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| Intervention: |
- To provide pragmatic support to the cooperatives so that they can grow in future with concrete stability.
- To enhance optimum returns on trade of NTFP and agriculture produces to families that are currently part of the project.
- To upscale the trade of NTFP/SAP and undertaking large scale value addition.
- To increase the number of members ensuring 80% of families in the existing cooperative area.
- To strengthen and popularize the sustainable harvesting dimensions of the project.
- Undertake policy research & advocacy focusing on linkage between PESA & FRA, magnitude of household dependency on NTFP, sustainable harvesting protocols and product specific trade policies.
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| Quarterly Narrative Report: |
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1. General Information
Name of the organization: Regional Centre for Development Cooperation, Bhubaneswar.
Project title and number: Facilitating community based management and trade of
NTFP in Orissa and neighboring states through appropriate changes in policies and practices
Project number: 321-900-1142 ZG
Project period: April 2008 to September 2008
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Period under review: April- June 2008
PME system: Participatory planning and monitoring methods were adopted to draw up a plan of action and monitoring parameters for effectively realizing the goal of the project. An operational plan for the whole year with periodic benchmarks was developed and circulated. Monthly and quarterly reports of project staff are being prepared. The progress of the project is being reviewed on a quarterly basis by the Project Management Committee.
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2. Developmental Context
Policies, laws and rules of government highlight the restoration of forest based livelihood of tribal and other forest dwelling communities through proper management of NTFP, but in practice there is dearth of guidelines and delivery methods. The trade of important NTFP (Tendu/Kendu leaf, Bamboo) is still in the hands of the State (though Forest Rights Act has brought Tendu leaf and Bamboo under the redefined MFP). There is no clear mandate for the institutions involved in the process of procurement and trade of NTFP especially for developing markets and enterprises from NTFPs. The market promotion agencies of the states barring few don’t really give much emphasis to procurement, product development and marketing and benefit sharing arrangement. Most of their efforts get limited to nationalised forest produces. There was no clear-cut definition of NTFP or MFP, before the Forest Rights Act, whatever little definitions have been provided by the Government/ department till today are based on convenience rather than on any scientific understanding. Similarly the price fixation, taxation/royalty system for NTFP is not uniform across the region, which often discourages the traders and marketing agencies for fair trade. |
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3. Implementation of the programme:
3.1 Objectives |
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- To enhance access of various stakeholders to information and documents on NTFP (The Centre would create an extensive database of NTFP through research and documentation and operate as a resource centre as well as a clearing house of information at the regional level).
- To create conducive environment for regular dialogue among various stakeholders at local, state and regional level on NTFP related issues and for developing appropriate policies, laws, rules and other operative frameworks for addressing these issues (The centre would undertake regular policy research, prepare advocacy documents, circulate widely among different stakeholders and create scope for debates and discussion).
- To build up institutional capacity to work for changes in policies and practices in NTFP.
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| 3.2 Impact: |
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- Regular interaction with the Forest Department at different levels and extensive database on NTFP issues have created a conducive environment for the Forest Department in seeking inputs from RCDC for preparing the working plan document. The process has helped in creating a pro-poor approach in the working plan document of the Forest Department.
- Information disseminated among various stakeholders has a created a scope for updating the knowledge base and keep track with the changing policies at government level. The Stakeholders at grass root level are capacitated to change their roles and responsibilities according to the changes made in the policy.
- Share of the research findings of KL Policy, management, operation and trade in Panchayat level with primary collectors, NGOs, CBOs, etc. the primary collectors made aware of the changing policy of Kendu Leaf.
- A linkage has been developed with different stakeholders mainly forest departments and its corporations, traders, NGOs and other civil society organizations, etc.
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| 4. Overall assessment and outlook |
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The project is now in its extension period. Our interventions are more focused and there were achievements. The general assessment of the programme has been satisfactory and as per plan. |
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