Genesis:

Samarthak Samitiis an NGO working in Udaipur since 1995 with the mission of ‘Enhancing control of poor tribal communities over livelihoods in forest regions’. Samarthak Samitiis registered as a society in the legal name “The Rajasthan Forest Produce Processing Group Support Society”. Organization mainly works with tribal familieswho are dependent on forests producelikehoney, Jamun, Bel, Amla, Jatropha, Gum, Custard Apple, Mahuwa,Karanj, Neem, Kikoda,Punwad, Tendu leaves and many others that fall into the categories of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) or Non-timber Forest Products (NTFP) as well as organic agriculture products.

The organization has derived very innovative strategiesto work with these forest dwelling communities which are as follows:

• Organize and empower communities at various levels such as MFP collector Self Help Groups, and federating them into larger groups at district and regional levels.
• Work for long term production sustenance of MFPs for continued and improved livelihoods for poor communities.
• Build knowledge and skillsof communities and organizations for locally controlled collection and marketing of MFP.
• Promote a policy environment and legal regulations suitable for protection of community rights related to MFPs.

 Key Achievements:

In last 20 years of its work, SamarthakSamiti has made some significant achievements by organizing the forest dependent families and improving their incomes through better collection, processing and marketing of MFP based products. A producers’ company named as Samarthak Producers Company Limited’s (SPCL) is formed in 2011 to provide a common collection and marketing platform. The members of this producer company are producers themselves and represent one field level cooperative. All the profits generated out of this company’s business are shared with the producers who forest dependent communities.

Some of Samarthak most significant achievements are mentioned below:

• Organized704honey collecting families trained them on sustainable harvesting practices and equipped with toolkits. This intervention was mostly supported by TRIFED[1] have significantlyimproved the quality and quantity of honey collection. Samarthak Samiti further worked on the processing and marketing of the collected honey and currently sells it under the brand name of ‘Desert Greens’. This high quality product has received tremendous response of the buyers.

• Samarthak Samiti developed and adopted technology to manufacture Jamun ark (concentrateof Jamun) with support from IIT Delhi and KaarakMeans under Ministry of MSME scheme. The product is anti-diabetic and popular in known circles, received extremely positive feedback. After installation of the distillation unit, SamarthakSamiti plans to up-scale the production and reach out to new clients.
• With the formation of Producer Company, the producers have got the ability to directly reach the customers in an organized manner, thereby enhancing their negotiation power. At the producer level itself, the company is currently purchasing honey @Rs. 150 per kg and JamunSirka@Rs. 60 per litter.
• Samarthak Samiti supported producer company has 300 women members,who have seen better prices and volume demand after value addition of products including heena, pulses and dry vegetables.
• Overall, Samarthak provided significantopportunities for employment, value creation and enterprise development for socially excluded communities and women through group formation and capacity building.
• To reduce pressure on the forest Samarthak is promoting tree based livelihood in area and have helped people to promote various Wadi of Sitafal, Amla, Jamun, Kathal, Amrood and other NTFPs produce plants in area. Around 200 wadis are developed in area using these plants.
• Samarthak is doing the rejuvenating the old plants with water basin around the old trees, with manure and other items. Around 1000 old trees are treated by this and result of this is positive as production of produce is increased and health of the trees is better than earlier.

Key Challenges

Marketing of products remains the biggest challenge for SamarthakSamiti. Due to this constraint, Samarthak is not able to upscale its production and benefit more of forest dwelling communities. In past, Samarthak experimented with several of the marketing strategies and realized that building local market for its products is most reasonable, sustainable and profitable. Udaipur being a tourist location, Samarthak has the opportunity to harness this potential and untapped market.

Solution—Mobile Shop

Samarthak Samiti is ready to launch a Mobile Van Shop which will function as moving shop for all its products. The mobile van shop shall move at places with high transaction of tourists, general population in the city area. This initiative would attract new customers who could be locals as well as tourists and boost demand and sales.

This mobile van shop has great advantages over a traditional fixed shop, like direct reach to the customer. The van will carry high-quality ready for consumption products including Sharbat (juice), herbal tea, lemon-honey, ginger-honey, Alovera-honey, honey milkshakes, honey and fruit, honey, Amla, Jamun-juice andJamun chips and Jamun ark and other products. Samarthak will source the products from all India level from the CSO, NGO and producer organization, by this we will have more products with us to put in mobile shop and range of the product will be available for consumers. All the products will be natural, organic and fair trade concept and will be benefited to rural, poor tribal and backward class community.

Expected Outcomes

It is expected that awareness and demand for locally produced products will increase among urban and tourist populations who may not be exposed to naturally organic products and their many benefits. Thousands of new customers will discover the wealth of Rajasthan’s natural resources. Sales and income generated for producers will increase significantly in a short time. Considering the innovations of the initiative, it is also expected to draw a lot of attention across the world can set an example for many other such interventions.

Who Gains?

• Consumers: Samarthak offers consumers a range of affordable, healthy chemical and pesticide-free foods. Unlike organic foods that cater to a niche market, pesticide free food can potentially have a wider appeal and cater to many more consumers.
• Farmers & Forest Dwellers: Samarthak has been able to raise income levels of small and marginal farmer and forest dwellers by 15-20% by providing them a market access and selling their produce providing them a platform.
• Environment:We promote the safe and scientifically harvesting practice which improves the biodiversity in area.

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