Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana or Van Dhan Scheme launched on 14th April, 2018 by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Ministry of Tribal Affairs as nodal department at central level and TRIFED as nodal agency at national level. This scheme is a well thought master plan for the socio-economic development of the tribal population of the country.

TRIFED in Assam has sanctioned 50 Van DhanVikas Kendra (VDVK’s)under the scheme covering 13 Districts of the State. The Directorate of Welfare of Plain Tribes & Backward Classes, Assam (WPTBC) is the State Nodal Agency and Assam Plain Tribes Development Corporation Ltd. (APTDC Ltd.), Govt. of Assam is the Implementing Agency for the scheme in Assam. Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India is the Resource Agency providing technical supports in the effective implementation of the scheme.

 

Minor Forest Produce (MFP) value addition training programme’ in Dhanubhanga VDVK under Goalpara district

 

Stepping ahead with the vision of the scheme, Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) is constantly engaging with the tribal communities of the State and working towards bringing optimum outcomes by ensuring quality training programmes in Assam. IIE believe in transforming the forest produces through process of value addition, branding and marketing for creating income generation and livelihood opportunities of the tribal communities.  IIE has completed first phase of ‘Minor Forest Produce (MFP) value addition training programme’ in Dhanubhanga VDVK under Goalpara district of Assam. The four days training programme started on 22^nd September 2020 with the 30 tribal beneficiaries representing the Bodo and Rabha tribal communities. These communities are highly dependent on the forest produces and they access their livelihood opportunities by selling the available forest resources in the local market.

 

     

Beneficiaries peeling jackfruit seeds. IIE has been able to value add 151 Kg of jackfruit seeds in Dhanubhanga VDVK alone 

 

165 Kg of Joha rice has been value added and these products are packaged under the brand - ”TRISSAM”

 

IIE has supported these beneficiaries by purchasing the unsold resources such as ‘Jackfruit Seeds’ and ‘Joha Rice’ in the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Jackfruit seeds are abundantly found in the area due to maximum availability of these trees depending on the climatic conditions. Through MSP the institute has been able to provide a market for the communities in the difficult time of COVID-19 and is able to create a source of income for the people.  In the recently concluded training program, it has built the capacity of these beneficiaries in the area of value addition through product grading, sorting, packaging and branding. As of now, the institute has been able to value add 165 Kg of Joha rice and 151 Kg of jackfruit seeds in Dhanubhanga VDVK only. These products are packaged in the name of brand called ”TRISSAM” a Value added products from the tribes of Assam. The brand that is taking shape from the forest produces collected by the tribal communities of Assam. In the next phase of our training programme, the institute is looking forward to value add products such as ‘Black Rice’, ‘Bhoot Jolokia (King Chilli)’, ‘Wild Honey’, ‘Black Pepper’, ‘Joha Rice’, ‘Jack fruit Seeds’, ‘Dried oyster Mushroom’s’ etc.

 

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