Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has given special instructions to the Forest Department to focus on the economic empowerment of women. He has asked to ensure the participation of women in various schemes and programmes of the Forest Department and to make them self-reliant as well as make all possible efforts to improve their economic conditions. The instructions include providing training and financial support to encourage women’s active participation in forest-related and livelihood activities, with positive results already being observed.
What is Forest Department doing?
Chhattisgarh Forest Department paves the way for economic empowerment of the villagers living in the forest area by actively involving them in forest conservation and management under Joint Forest Management. Joint Forest Management Committees are formed by local villagers who play an important role in forest conservation and are inspired by the concept of shared use of forest resources. The Forest Department provides training to these committees, so that the livelihood of people dependent on forests can be improved.
Maa Mahamaya Self Help Group sets example
The Maa Mahamaya Self-Help Group of 11 women from Madai, a small village in the Marwahi forest division of Chhattisgarh, has proved that with determination and proper guidance, one can increase their income sources and raise their standard of living.
With the support of the Forest Department, this group has transformed a simple agro-forestry initiative into a thriving economic enterprise. With the guidance of the Forest Department and through their entrepreneurship, the women of this group have earned an income of more than Rs 7 seven lakh so far. Their journey is not only of economic prosperity but also a symbol of environmental protection and community empowerment.
Started by planting 2,000 mango trees
The journey began in the financial year 2018-19 when Meera Bai, President of Maa Mahamaya Self-Help Group and Sumitra, Secretary and members of the committee Kewalya, Budhkunwar, Rameshia, Manisha, Semkunwar, Makin, Laung Kunwar, Sukhanta, and Sukshen planted 2,000 mango trees in 5 hectares of land in Patharra (Rumga) revenue area.
These women planted mango trees of popular varieties like Dussehri, Langda, Amrapali, Chaunsa, Bombay Green as well as local varieties. This step taken to promote agroforestry under the Green India Mission was not just a tree plantation drive but a well-planned strategy to increase green cover, improve soil moisture conservation, and provide sustainable employment opportunities for the local community.
The sisters from the group recounted the struggles and challenges they faced in their early years. In the first year, they had to deeply plow the land to ensure the mango plants' roots were strong and the soil retained moisture. During this period, they did not cultivate vegetables as the new mango plants required more care. Despite no immediate profit, they remained resilient. By the 2019-20 season, as the mango trees matured, they began growing vegetables in the spaces between the trees. The income from vegetables such as beans, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, peas, chillies, ladyfinger, onion, yam, ginger, turmeric, gourd, bitter gourd, and pumpkin was used to support the group’s needs and to purchase seeds and manure for the next season.
In the years 2020-21 and 2021-22, the group expanded the cultivation of vegetables along with the care of mango trees. They grew a variety of vegetables in their garden and earned income from their sale. During this time, they took the difficult decision to remove flowers from mango plants so that the trees could grow better and get a good harvest in the future. In the year 2022-23, the hard work of the group paid off. The mango trees grew fully and gave a good harvest. They sold 4,203 kg of mangoes in local and Bilaspur markets, earning them a profit of more than Rs 7 lakh since the beginning of this initiative. This economic benefit was a direct proof of their hard work, patience and planning.
Promoting local employment and economic benefits
The Maa Mahamaya Self Help Group has achieved a remarkable success rate of 98 per cent for their survival trees. Their initiative is not only creating local employment and economic benefits but also stands as a symbol of environmental sustainability and women’s empowerment. Under the Green India Mission, their project serves as an exemplary model of effective practice. It demonstrates how, with proper guidance and community support, rural women can achieve economic self-reliance while significantly contributing to environmental protection.
Encouraged by their agroforestry success, the group is now considering purchasing e-rickshaws to transport vegetables and mangoes. They also plan to establish a small ice-cream manufacturing unit specializing in mango flavour to further boost their income.
Meera Bai, President of Maa Mahamaya Self Help Group, said, "We are grateful for the continued support of the Forest Department. With their help, we are not only successfully cultivating high-quality mangoes but also growing vegetables in the intervening spaces. This has increased our income and empowered the women of our group. Also, this initiative has created new employment opportunities in the surrounding villages. Our standard of living has improved significantly."
