Andra Pradesh

Biodiversity Conservation

Land Degradation

SMALL STEPS FOR FOOD SECURITY

Actions for Land and
Resource Management (ALARM)

Govt. of India
Ministry of Environment, Forest Empowered lives.
& Climate Change Resilient nations.
 Increasing community participation through
awareness and training so that more people benefit
from the enterprise and better governance
Improving infrastructure by providing equipment
and space for processing and storage
R e s e a rc h a n d d e v e l o p m e n t i n p r o c e s s
improvements of existing product range and
creation of new products
Identifying other local resources and skill based
occupations for local people
Identifying and including new species of NTFP
which have scope for developing marketable
products for conservation and multiplication

PROJECT BENEFICIARIES
The beneficiaries are from the Yanadi tribal communities, marginal and small farmer households and
women and youth from other communities living on the fringes of the Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary,
Chitoor District, Andhra-Pradesh. Project area extends between Kuppam and Palamner in villages along
the forest fringes.

PROJECT BACKGROUND
Livelihood of forest dwellers is very closely linked to the
health of the forest cover and its' biodiversity. A large
number of tribal communities living near forests have
immense knowledge on biodiversity based resources and
make a livelihood by trading non-timber forest produce
(NTFP) they collect, in its primary form. Therefore, the
income they generate from this is very small.
The Kaigal Education & Environment Program (KEEP),
Krishnamurti Foundation India (KFI) has been working in
biodiversity conservation, income generation and
education with tribal and farming communities, in Chitoor
District of AP since 2002. The intent has been to empower
people from the tribaland nearby village communities to be
able to earn better incomes by introducing them to new
skills in value addition and marketing of local forest and
farm produce. The approach has been to identify local bio-
resources, assess their status in the wild, choose species for
value addition, support sustainable practices, research and
arrive at appropriate processing techniques, develop
products for income generation and establish a sales
network.
The endeavour lead to the formation of a local institution -
the Kaigal Trust Self Help Group (KTSHG) - in the year 2010.
It was a small initiative with about 4 or 5 people. KTSHG
now has15 core members (9 from Yanadhi tribes& 6 from
other communities). In addition, it directly supports tribal
collectors & marginal farmers who supply the raw materials.
KEEP-KFI approached GEF/UNDP, SGP, CEE for support.
After a series of discussions and presentations a need based
idea was developed
PROJECT GOAL AND PURPOSE
The project aims to enhance and scale up the functioning of
KTSHG, to make it a vibrant, independent and successful
community enterprise. The scaling up process involved
Capacity building of locals to enable to take greater
ownership, better harvesting practices and eventually
manage the enterprise independently
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Enhancing and scaling up functioning of the Kaigal Trust Self Help Group (KTSHG)
Name of the Organization
Improving existing product range and scaling up their volume of production
Developing new products (from 21 before project period to 46 at present, i.e., 25 new products were
Geographical Area developed) Agriculture & NTFP based.
Training in Craft skill Tailoring (garments & bags), hand embroidery and macram.
Improving infra-structure - Two new rooms were added to provide extra room space for accommodating
No. of Beneficiaries the scaling up process - research, production, storage and training
Providing processing equipment and training a core group in use and maintenance of the equipment
SGP Grant Developing a core group of skilled individuals from the local community that belongs to KTSHG
The main group involved in the day to day activities of the KTSHG are ~15 people. In addition there are
Co financing the others who supply raw materials or participate in certain aspects of the work alone. Together they
will form a network of at least 40 people
Project Period At least 10 individuals from the main team have received training from specific organizations/experts
and are involved in different areas of functioning of KTSHG and together manage almost all activities.
They have been trained in procuring, stocking, processing, producing, packaging and selling of the
Project Partners finished goods.
Most of them have also been taught craft skills like tailoring, embroidery,macram and basket making
A smaller sub-set of 5-6 people from this group are now capable of contributing to more difficult areas of
the business technical, managerial, marketing, financial and social with external support from
experts
This smaller group also conducts training programs for other communities
Identifying, including and training more people from different communities
Increasing the forest NTFP collector's net work by covering 32 tribal villages and meeting with them
personally
Increasing the farmers network by identifying individual farmers cultivating different crops
Creating awareness and conducting training for women and youth from tribal & farming villages in
different NTFPs, their sustainable modes of collection and processing techniques
Linking with new panchayats and villages through formation of Biodiversity Management Committees
(BMC) with National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board
(APSBB)
Initiatives in Marketing
Linking KTSHG with institutions that support grass roots enterprises
Conducting Institutional sales; Organizing monthly sale
Establishing a Dealer Network; Setting up regular sale counters in institutions
Training the core team under auditors and management experts in different aspects of sales, marketing,
dealer interactions and accounting
Building Linkages
Building linkages for KTSHG with other organizations government departments, institutions with
specific skill building expertise, academic institutions and a dealer network
Connecting the core team to business consultants, marketing experts, chartered accountants, designers,
dealers and buyers
Establishing community resource centres (CRC)
Setting up resource centres in 2 villages which are managed by a group of women from the respective
villages
Providing occupation to women who cannot leave their homes
Initiatives to promote sustainable harvesting
Conducting field survey of 32 tribal villages to document existing sustainable harvesting practices
Maintaining fruiting record of 4 species of NTFP in the forest using individually marked trees as part of
long term study
PROJECT OUTCOMES & ACHIEVEMENTS
KEEP-KFI interacts with ~ 30 villages (2000 HHs), and is able to reach conservation to nearly 4500 Hac.
Area.
Having established a community enterprise - Kaigal Trust Self Help Group (KTSHG), KEEP is working
closely with 15 20 people the core group that runs the enterprise, and through them with 12 women
SHGs and other community members. Institution building of KTSHG has been strengthened in the
project through regular meetings, capacity building by training and establishing linkages and local
decision making.
Separate bank accounts were opened for the institution and each of the members. The linkage to banks
provide the women access to timely credit which further strengthens livelihood actions.
The KTSHG members have been given personalised training in value addition through processing for a
variety of forest and agro produce which are then marketed to generate an income.
Seven products were modified & improved during the project period. They are Herb mix, Foot cream,
Lip balm, Dish Wash, Washing powder, Hair conditioner & Kalimbi pickle
25 new products were brought to market in this period, namely, Jamun (syrup& jelly), Arjuna &Triphala
Churna, Cold pressed coconut & ground nut oil, Detergent washing powder, Turmeric, Dhaniya & Chilli
powders, Tender mango, Avakkai, Mango ginger, Bitter gourd & Sweet lime pickles, Jaggery (syrup &
powder), Unpolished Brown rice, partly polished Red Rice, Millets (Sorghum & Pearl millet), Dry Neem
flowers, Peanut butter and new patterns of tailored bags and garments.
Community Resource Centres (CRC) were established in 2 tribal villages (Kottabanda and KP Banda).
The CRC are also tailoring centres for the village women& youth
 Foundation for revitalization of local health traditions and practices- FRLHT I AIM, Bangalore
Technology Integrated Development Endeavour (TIDE), Bangalore
Vidyaranya High School, Hyderabad
ChaitanyaVidyalaya High School, Hyderabad
Rishi Valley Education Centre, KFI, Madanapalli, Andhra Pradesh
The Valley School, KFI, Bangalore
Prakriya Green Wisdom School, Bangalore

Training Programs, Community Meetings & Awareness programs

Training for KTSHG members 30; Training for community groups - 20 and Community meetings &
awareness programs 45. Formed 2 new Self Help Groups in Kalligutta and KP Banda tribal villages.
A pilot program in Awareness, Training & Construction of 12 fuel efficient 'chulhas' in 3 project
villages. ~ 100 women participated

Other KEEP Initiatives complementing the GEF/UNDP/SGP project activities:

Established 5 BMCs with NBA & APSBB in the project area
Selected as a Technical Support Group by APSBB for 3 BMCs
Prepared and submitted People's Biodiversity Register (PBR) for 2 BMC and Documents on Tradable
Resources for 2 Districts
High School and college students were involved in field documentation for PBR preparation and
energy surveys in 2 villages

Provideda hygienic work space and equipment for processing and storage. The core team was also KEEP Programs & Awards:
given training in the use of the different equipments e.g. Mixers; grinders, sewing machines; sealing
KEEP- KFI runs Sanctuary Schools (for tribal children) in 3 tribal villages which are now participating in
and packaging machines; weighing machines; storage containers; cans etc
the International Eco Schools Program
Obtained certification for KTSHG as Food Business Operator under Food and Safety Standards
Sanctuary Schools and KTSHG Participated in 'The Green Wave' in May 2014
Authority of India (FSSAI). Registered no. 20114020000045
KEEP conducted 30 Environment Education programs at Kaigal over the 2 years for school & college
Developed a skilled core team of 15 people who are capable of working together and complementing
students reaching around 1000 students (10 20 years of age).
each other in different tasks of running the institution. They can
Manage the day to day functioning of the enterprise Award of Excellence for Biodiversity Conservation was given to Krishnamurti Foundation India for its
work under KEEP by the Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board in May 2014
Conduct Training programs independently with different community groups in processing
techniques
Organize meetings and awareness programs for communities with outside experts
Produce on their own more than 50 products from local resources ready for marketing
At least 6 of them are capable of interacting with dealers and buyers
Conduct institutional sales by themselves
Interact with local government bodies and officials
Have an awareness and understanding of sustainable use

KTSHG Annual Turn-over 2012- 2015

Year Turn over % increase from
previous year
2012-13 5,14,204 13.3 %
2013-14 7,50,392 45.93%
2014-15 14,34,681 91.2%

Text: Prabhjot Sodhi, Anil Arora Colours 9810037571/SGP/May 15

Established linkages with organizations institutions with specific skill building

expertise, academic institutions and dealer network
National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Chennai
Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board (APSBB), Hyderabad
Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) -Vengamvaripalli, M.Kothur, Theertham, Elakkallu,
Nadumanthram, Kangundi&Gopalapuram (7 Panchayats)
Girijana Corporation, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
Forest Department, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh Regional Co-ordinator Country Program Manager
'Kamala Mansion', 143 Infantry Road, GEF UNDP Small Grants Programme
Dealer network Nisarga Shoppe, Lumiere Organic Store, Shop For A Cause, Green Link Organics, Bangalore - 560 001 Centre for Environment Education
Wellbeing Health Store, The Eco Store, Organic Earth, Green Earth Organics (Bangalore) KEEP, Bangalore Education Centre, Tel: 080 - 2869094, 2869907, 2862167 C-40 South Extension-II, New Delhi-110049,
Fax: 080 2868209 Ph.: 011-26262878-80
Wild Ideas Self Help Group, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu Krishnamurti Foundation India,
Email: ceesouth@ceeindia.org Email: prabhjot.sodhi@ceeindia.org
Thatguni Post, Bangalore 560062;
Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems (CIKS), Sirkazhi, Tamilnadu Ph.: (080) 28435240; email:keepkfi@yahoo.com ceekarnataka@ceeindia.org Website: www.sgpindia.org,www.ceeindia.org