The current situation due to Pandemic Covid-19 has dealt a serious blow to the livelihoods of the poor and marginalized communities including the tribal artisans and gatherers, being the most vulnerable people in the country. This is the peak season for harvesting and gathering of forest produces in many regions which will lead to engagement of tribal gatherers into business and endanger their safety. TRIFED under Ministry of Tribal Affairs is proactively responding to the situation by addressing the issues arising out of the long period of lock-down with a set of immediate, medium term and long term initiatives, aimed at lending extra support to the tribals in this unprecedented times.

The actions relating to protecting tribal interests during Covid-19 Lockdown (and the staggered period thereafter) as required can be classified under three heads as follows:

1. Publicity and Awareness Generation.
2. Personal Protective Healthcare.
3. NTFP Procurement.

Short Term measures: Social Distancing Awareness

• Launched Van Dhan Samajik Doori Jagrookta Abhiyaan, which is aimed at educating Tribals engaged in gathering NTFPs in forest areas, on covid-19 response, key preventive behaviour like social distancing, home quarantine, hygiene tips through a two-tired training program (Training of Trainers and SHG training), using digital means such as webinars, facebook live streams etc.

• Initiated steps to provide the Van Dhan Self Help Groups (SHGs) with protective masks and hygiene products (Soaps, Disinfectants, etc.) that are necessary for carrying out their operations in a safe manner.

Medium and Long Term measures : Livelihoods

• To ensure relief to crores of tribals dependent on gathering of forest produce, the Ministry of Home Affairs was approached for necessary amendments in the list of exemptions in the guidelines for second phase of lockdown. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued Revised guidelines on 16^th aApril 2020 allowing Collection, harvesting and processing of non - timber Minor Forest Produce (MFP) by scheduled tribes and other forest dwellers. These exemptions are timely as the peak harvesting season has set-in in many regions.

• Further Ministry of Tribal Affairs have asked TRIFED to focus on revamping the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for MFP to enhance tribal livelihood in these testing times and to ensure that they get the benefit of an equitable market price for their produce.

• As directed by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, on 17 April 2020, TRIFED has initiated steps for operationalizing MSP operations in all states at primary markets called haat bazaars, setting up procurement centres with weighing facilities, transport and appropriate cold and dry storage.

Van Dhan Samajik Doori Jagrookta Abhiyaan - Educating Tribals through ~15,000 Self Help Groups under Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana spread across 28 States/UTs. TRIFED teamed up with UNICEF and WHO for launching a digital campaign spreading awareness about the importance of social distancing amid the coronavirus crisis in India. UNICEF is providing the necessary IEC materials ( posters, flyers, leaflets, brochures, booklets, messages for health education sessions, radio broadcast or TV spots etc) for the campaign christened as “ Van Dhan Samajik Doori Jagrookta Abhiyaan OR Van Dhan Social Distancing Awareness Movement”. Extensive outreach through Train of Trainer Programs and Webinars focused on basic orientation on covid-19 response, key preventive behaviour, social media campaigns on social distancing, home quarantine has been initiated.

The Webinars have been attended by participants across the nation which included all the state offices of TRIFED, State Nodal Departments, Implementing agencies of PMVDY, NGOs, SHG leaders and other frontline workers.

Training Trainers -The Panelists include Shri Pravir Krishna, Managing Director, TRIFED, Shri Amit Bhatnagar, Deputy General Manager-MFP, TRIFED Shri Siddhartha Shrestha, Chief of Communication for Development, UNICEF India, Shri Dr Sachin Rewaria, World Health Organisation and experts like Shri Dr Pravin Khobragade, UNICEF, Smt Dr Shikha Vardhan, Smt Arupa Shukla, UNICEF, Smt Rachana Sharma, UNICEF.

Statistics of Training of Trainer on COVID-19: Response and Containment Measures for NTFP Gatherers and Processors:

All webinar sessions have been recorded and made available in youtube.

National ToT : Social Distancing | Webminar on Covid19 | Opening Remarks | Mr. Pravir Krishna | MD | TRIFED https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3eDCYih_Rk

Session-1 | Transmission | Webminar on Covid19 | In Collaboration With UNICEF | WHO | TRIFED https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR-xLR7ebu4

Session-2 | Personal Safety | Webminar on Covid19 | In Collaboration With UNICEF | WHO | TRIFED https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfuM5CNMLv0

Session-3 | Prevention | Webminar on Covid19 | In Collaboration With UNICEF | WHO | TRIFED https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfbd2Ir1lZw

Session 4: Session-4 | Stigma | Webminar on Covid19 | In Collaboration With UNICEF | WHO | TRIFED https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZg3_3XFgxg

Creatives : VanDhan Social Distancing Awareness Movement | With UNICEF | VanDhan | TRIFED | Govt. of India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXwHg27uBFA

On similar lines, all 14 regional offices of TRIFED organized webinar collaboration with UNICEF.

TRIFED Regional offices : Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Lucknow, Delhi, Guwahati, Jaipur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Raipur, Mumbai, Dehradun, Hyderabad

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NB/SK/MoTA/22.04.2020