Tannuka Juneja
Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) recently signed an MoU with Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini-Nation First Policy Research Centre (RMP-NFPRC) to work around the development and execution of research projects for the tribal population.
As a part of its mission to improve the livelihoods of the tribals (both forest dwellers and artisans) and work towards tribal empowerment, the Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), ever since its conception in August 1987, has been carrying out several programmes and initiatives.
The collaborative endeavour between TRIFED and RMP-NFPRC is to leverage knowledge, expertise and institutional strengths. The key focus areas of the joint venture is to work around the development and execution of research projects for the tribal population, assess and review several government schemes like Van Dhan Yojana, engage in the publication of research findings in the form of joint reports, jointly host conferences, seminars and take part in meetings with experts to promote research, share information and render access to personnel(s) and data relevant to the research in hand, and allow the access of information from regional offices, state implementing agencies and other entities relevant to the scope of the project.
Among the Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ flagship programmes and implementations is the Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of Value Chain for MFP scheme. Implemented by TRIFED in association with state government agencies across 21 states, the scheme has injected more than Rs.3000 crore directly in the tribal economy since April 2020. Aided by the government push in May 2020 wherein the prices of MFPs were increased by up to 90% and the inclusion of 23 new items in the MFP list, the flagship scheme, which draws its strength from the Forest Rights Act of 2005, aims to provide remunerative and fair prices to tribal gatherers of forest produces.
