Send message to Author

Paper short abstract

India's tribal communities face agrarian distress, multidimensional poverty exacerbated by neoliberal policies and other factors. Non-Timber Forest Produce sustains many. This study argues NTFP offers viable non-farm livelihoods amid agricultural risks, yet faces exploitation and policy shortfalls.

Paper long abstract

India's tribal communities endure agrarian distress and multidimensional poverty, with states like Jharkhand (MPI 0.246) and Madhya Pradesh (0.196) exemplifying vulnerabilities from neoliberal policies, mining, and FRA land rights erosion. Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP)—mahua, sal seeds, tamarind, medicinal plants—sustains 275 million people, contributing 20-25% of forest revenue and 12-24% of household wild foods for nutrition and resilience.

​This paper contends that NTFP represents a viable non-farm livelihood pathway amid agricultural risks, yet systemic barriers—middlemen exploitation, infrastructure deficits, gender inequities (women collect but men control markets), and policy gaps—undermine potential. TRIFED's Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (VDVY) promises value addition and market linkages, but a political ecology lens reveals power imbalances: uneven state implementation, fund delays, and ecological marginality perpetuate stratified benefits. Challenges include low MSP enforcement, storage issues, and migration to unskilled labour; strengths lie in women's empowerment and pockets of market success.

Findings highlight NTFP's role in food security (12-24% of diets from wild foods), income diversification, and resilience, but limitations include funding delays (30% unreleased), poor market linkages, and ecological risks. Recommendations urge accelerated operationalisation of VDVK, community-led pricing/MSP enforcement, digital training, sustainable harvesting, and FRA alignment for empowerment.

​This evidence-based critique advocates value addition, branding, and participatory policies to transform NTFP into equitable, resilient tribal economies that foster food sovereignty and rural equity.