PhD

Indigenous communities living in the forests depends on the forest resources like
Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) for their survival and livelihoods. The dominance
of the middlemen, lack of accessibility of the market and lack of awareness of the price
of NTFPs were the main problems faced by tribals in the collection and marketing of
NTFPs (Rawal, 2020). There is a growing market for NTFPs, but its large potential still
needs to be tapped by both the collectors and the institutions involved. Since efforts have
been going on for quite a long time, new agencies and institutions, have been established
and programmes and schemes have been implemented to promote the NTFPs and thereby
develop the tribal community. It is time that an assessment of these interventions be done
to assess whether these interventions are within reach of the tribals, to what extent the
policy measures of central and state government have positively affect the marketing of
NTFPs and the livelihood of tribes collecting NTFPs, whether the institutions address the
problems faced by the tribals and to what extent they succeeded in solving the issues
related to marketing of NTFPs. In this context the present study entitled ‘Institutional
intervention in marketing of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) in Kerala’ was
undertaken to analyse the existing market structure of NTFPs, to examine the role of
institutional intervention in promoting NTFPs, to examine the extent of awareness,
accessibility and impact of institutional interventions among selected tribes and to
analyse the problems faced by the selected tribes in the collection and marketing of
NTFPs. This study will fulfil the research gap of the institutional contributions towards
improving the livelihood of NTFPs collectors and would help the institutions to identify
and prioritise the areas in need of their interventions.
Both primary and secondary data were collected for the study. As per the data
collected from the records of Scheduled Tribes Service Cooperative Society (STSCS)
(2018-2019), it was found that Irular, Kattunayakan, Paniyan, and Kadar were the tribes
mainly engaged in the collection of NTFPs. Among them Kattunayakan and Paniyan
tribes are settled in Wayanad district, Irular tribe is settled in Palakkad district and Kadar
tribe is mainly settled in Thrissur district. Through stratified random sampling method,
204 tribals collecting NTFPs, from these four tribes were selected. With respect to the
selection of institutions, all the categories of the institutions involved in promoting
NTFPs collectors based in Kerala state were selected with a total sample size of 12 viz
Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department (KFD), STSCS, Tribal co-operative Marketing
Development Federation of India (TRIFED), Kerala State Federation of SC/ST
Development Cooperative Ltd (SC/ST Federation), Scheduled Tribes Development
Department (STDD), Kerala State Development Corporation for Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes (KSDC-ST/SC), College of Forestry (CoF), Kerala Institute for
Research Training and Development Studies for SC & ST (KIRTADS), Kerala Forest
Research Institute (KFRI), Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) and National
Afforestation and Eco-Development Board (NAEDB).
Data from tribals were collected through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)
method, by using semi-structured interview schedule. Primary data from the institutions
were collected from officials of the institutions by using pre-tested structured interview
schedule. Secondary data were collected from annual reports, and official websites of
selected institutions.
Percentage analysis, pair-wise ranking and seasonal calendar were used to
analyse the existing market structure of NTFPs. The role of institutional interventions in
promoting NTFPs was examined with the help of Venn Diagram. Awareness was
examined with the help of percentage analysis. Mobility Map and Impact Diagram were
used to examine the accessibility and impact of institutional interventions respectively.
Problems of tribals were identified by using Garret Ranking and by drawing ranking
ladder.
From the analysis of existing market structure of NTFPs in Kerala, it was found
that tribals, SC/ST Federation, STSCS, TRIFED, and KFD are the major players in the
market. In addition to this the presence of institutions like STDD, KSDC SC/ST, CoF,
KIRTADS, KFRI are also found in promoting NTFPs through conducting training,
workshops, exhibitions, promoting NTFPs through social media etc. Tribal community
are the sellers and STSCS, KFD and TRIFED are the main buyers. A common market
structure for NTFPs does not exist in Kerala .An oligopsony market structure was
identified where institutions were present and monopolistic competition was observed in
the absence of institutions in certain tribal settlements. The STSCS main activity is
regularly procuring NTFPs from tribals and marketing NTFPs with the help of the SC/ST
Federation through auction cum quotation and negotiation. Eco-Development
Committees (EDC) and Vana Samrakshana Samithi (VSS) of KFSD collect NTFPs from
tribals and market through Vanasree eco shops, Vanasree e-portal and exhibitions under
the brand name Vanasree. Institutions provide a pool of information to help the tribals to
undertake their operations more systematically and scientifically. Majority of the tribals
prefer to sell the collected NTFPs to STSCS. They had expressed, better price, spot
payment, flexible payment options, bulk procurement and regular consumers as the
reasons for preferring STSCS over other institutions. Among the institutions TRIFED
offers an effective product differentiation support. TRIFED had trained the tribals to
produce seven value added products from honey. KFD have an effective supply chain
logistics which facilitates the prompt delivery of the product to the customers.
.
Majority of the tribal community consider KFD, CoF, STDD, and STSCS as
important institutions. Out of these they considered STSCS as effective in rendering the
service. Institutions had provided product development and market development supports
to tribals in additions to the implementation of various schemes of the central and state
government. However, the services and supports of the institutions are not benefitting the
tribals to the expected level due to their low level of awareness
The awareness of the tribals with respect to the interventions of the institutions
are very low as they had not received any awareness programme on services offered by
the institutions till now. The officials from the majority institutions were not visiting the
colony and disseminating the necessary information to the tribals. Most tribals mentioned
the forest office, STSCS, and its depot as being conveniently accessible to them. Many
institutions that assisted NTFPs collectors (tribals) were far away from the colony,
making it difficult for them to access these institutions. The study brought out that
institutional interventions had resulted in increasing tribals income, reducing school
dropouts, increasing the number of women collectors, reducing tribals debt, and tribals
migrations.
The major problems faced by the selected tribals with respect to collection of
NTFPs were negative interactions with wild animals, inadequate availability of NTFPs in
the forest and low price availability of NTFPs. Lack of guidance and support from
government officials for marketing of NTFPs, no institutional support/follow up after
training programme and long distance to market place cause considerable interruption in
marketing of NTFPs.
The study brought out the need for certain policy interventions which will help to
improve the lively hood of NTFPs collectors. Many marketing channels exist in Kerala
for marketing NTFPs and the procurement price and selling price differs based on the
channels. If a uniform marketing channel can be created uniform pricing of the NTFPs
would be possible.. Even though most of the selected institutions were conducting
training programme the intended benefits are not reaching to tribal communities due to
the lack of follow up measures. It would be better if institutions arrange follow-up
programmes and making monthly visit to tribal settlements. This would help them to sell
NTFPs as value added products and build a good relationship with the institutions. As the
tribals were unaware of much information, the timely communication of various
programmes, services and implementation of schemes etc is necessary. Institutions
should take utmost care in this respect. It is difficult for tribals to access the services of
institutions, as tribals were situated far away from the institutions and they don’t have
vehicle or public transport services. Therefore, it is suggested that institutions should visit
the colony monthly to provide their services and identify the problems of the tribals.
Inadequate availability of NTFPs in the forest will make a negative impact in their
collection and income. Arrangement for clearing the forest every month from the part of
the Forest Department will help to address this issue. Addressing these suggestions will
help to make the existing interventions of institutions more effective and bring out better
reflection on the socio economic upliftment of tribals in Kerala.