Protected Areas and Livelihoods

Supported by Natwest India Foundation

The Supporting Enterprises project has been progressing on-ground for four years in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, across 15 hamlets with varied interventions depending on socio-economic conditions and feasibility. A summary of the key interventions in 2022-23 are provided below

• Supply chain assistance for organic mustard
• Vermi-composting to reduce input costs - vermi-compost beds set up for 20 farmers in 5 hamlets
• Three enterprises formed for tailoring trainees - Thenmalai enterprise, Hill Queen enterprise and Vinayaka enterprise for 3 batches of trainees
• A community seed bank established in Kallampalayam in June 2022. It is functioning as a centre point to save native seeds and provide seeds to farmers in 9 selected hamlets.
• Training on value addition to seemar for 18 women in Bejaletti
• Value addition centre for tamarind and turkey berry in Kallampalayam

Supported by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

The Livelihood Improvement Project, a combination of capacity building and market analysis of products, has an outreach to 11 villages of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR)

• Four hamlets provided training in tailoring for 6 months and provided with merit certificates by the Tamilnadu Forest Department
• Training for 55 tribal seemaru entrepreneurs of Badripadugai and 68 from Attanai, on seemaru- broomstick making with a seemaru softening machine
• Demonstration and training for 90 beneficiaries from Ugginiam and 63 beneficiaries from Nagalur on tamarind processing with a bulk tamarind deseeder and a press machine
• To enhance net income from jackfruits, training provided to 45 beneficiaries on jackfruit chips production

Supported by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

The project seeks to supplement and strengthen workplace infrastructure and offer skill support for Anti-Poaching Watchers (APWs) working in the 40 camps across the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has constructed permanent camp buildings at remote and vantage locations where frontline staff stay during the night so as to control illegal poaching/tree felling activities and to prevent forest fires. Though most of these Camps have basic facilities that have been provided under Scheme based funding, many of these camps still need facilities. Project activities will be actualised on the ground in consonance with and through the office of the Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director, STR