Environment

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Good harvests mean better livelihoods for traditional communities of medicinal plant gatherers

Community health and education are also a

prime focus for CCD.

‘CCD never delivers any benefits

directly to the community. Instead, it builds

localized community organizations (COs)

and enables them to bring development

on their own. As a promoter organization,

CCD continues to function as a facilitator

and an advisor. Democratic practices

embedded into the FPOs from the very

beginning make the local communities take

collective decisions, own the outcomes,

resolve conflicts if any in an amicable way,

representing the COs for the common good,’

says N. Muthuvelayutham, Secretary, CCD.

A case in point are medicinal plants, a

natural resource around which CCD’s four

pillared strategy was modelled. Once the

resource or skill with economic potential is

identified, then rigorous capacity building,

skill infusion, knowledge generation and

dissemination occurs with all stakeholders.

Post this, sustainable partnerships are formed

between the plant collectors, cultivators,

commercial bodies, technical and research

organizations and more. Lastly, linkages all

the way from local to international markets

and the producers collective are established in

order to truly enhance the livelihoods of the

communities.

HCLTech Grant Project Title:

Promoting

Herbal Biodiversity in Rainfed Farmlands for

Enhancing Livelihoods of Small and Marginal

Farmers

Beneficiaries:

10000 Small and Marginal

Rainfed Farmers

Location:

250 villages in Tamil Nadu